The Most Insane School Days of the Sisters Black
by Sadie Lovegood
Summary: Dominating Bella, romantic Andromeda, and delicate Cissy were all once Hogwarts students. Did they all fit the infamously sinister Slytherin reputation, or were they, perhaps, just normal teenage girls once upon a time, before the rise of the Dark Lord?
1. Code Number 17

**"The Most Insane School Days of the Sisters Black"**

_In short, Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa are all at Hogwarts. Bella is in her 7th year, Andromeda in her 5th, and Narcissa in her 2ndMost of this will be from Andromeda's POV, best rest assured, all 3 sisters will have large roles. Enjoy, I want this to be a longer epic-length fic, so enjoy!_

_**Summary: **Dominating Bella, romantic Andromeda, and demure Cissy were all once Hogwarts students. Did they all fit the infamously sinister Slytherin reputation, or were they, perhaps, just normal teenage girls once upon a time, before the rise of the Dark Lord? How did they associate with (if they did) the Marauders, who happened to be their cousin's best friends? Did they date around, or did they ignore the boys? And what secrets of the school can the girls uncover involving that of an unknown orphan from the past whose legacy seems to send chills down everyone's spines? Find out!_

* * *

"Girls, stop flitting around! The train will be leaving in a moment!" 

Druella Black, a fussy and demanding woman, was scurrying around to find her three daughters on platform 9-3/4, on which the Hogwarts Express was about to leave for the fall term at Hogwarts' School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. She looked around the platform, crowded with young students hurrying onto the train. Where WERE they?

"Here, Mum!" cooed a soft, airy voice from behind Druella. She turned around to find the smallest of her three children, Narcissa, tugging at her mother's sleeves. Narcissa's light blonde hair fell in a straight wave to her middle. She was the most delicate of the three Black sisters, and the most easily persuaded. Then again, she was only 12, so she was still fairly naïve. However, for being 12, she easily could be mistaken for a 9-year-old.

Druella leaned down to her youngest child's ear and smiled. "Are you ready?"

"Who's HE?" asked Narcissa, pointing at who looked like a young, handsome blonde man in his early 20s. Druella nodded.

"That's Lucius Malfoy. He graduated a few years ago, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe one day he'll be your brother-in-law if Bellatrix plays her cards right," Druella muttered. Narcissa squinted.

"Nuh-uh!" she said. "He's MINE!"

Druella didn't laugh at this. "He's much too old, I'm afraid. But a fine man from a finepure-blooded family," she mused. Lucius WAS a good looking young man who DID happen to be single. Druella had been pressing for Bellatrix to make a move on him (the Black women ALWAYS made the first move). But there was ONE problem with Bellatrix….

"BELLATRIX BLACK!" Druella suddenly yelled. Bellatrix was now visible on the other side of a barrier. She was snogging a man with firey red hair. "What the hell are you doing?"

Bellatrix, who, much unlike Cissy, was dark-haired and very mature and beautiful for her age, let go of the shrimpy boy he was kissing and quickly looked like she'd been the victim of the red-haired boy's passion, when instead it was the other way around. Bella was the most outgoing and fearless sister. She flirted and snogged around (rumors were she even slept around). Those actions were precisely why Bellatrix was never made a prefect.

Bella ran up to Druella looking rather innocent. "What?"

"Who was that boy you were snogging?"

"Mum, I wasn't SNOGGING anyone…"

"Liar!" cooed Cissy tauntingly. Bella shot her baby sister a look of death.

"If you MUST know," Bella moaned. "It was Arthur Weasley. Pureblooded, don't worry, Mumsie. Even I wouldn't stoop low enough to snog…uh, I mean…associate with a mudblood."

"You'd be wise not to. Weasleys are pure, but nevertheless, still way below the Blacks. The poor boy couldn't afford to feed himself for a week had he no parents," Druella said cruelly. "Now you take Cissy ontot hre train. I have to find…your SISTER…" she moaned.

Bella looked at Cissy knowingly and dragged her towards the train while Druella looked around for signs of her middle daughter, Andromeda. The black sheep of the immediate family if you will. Andromeda, while looking like a younger version of her older sister Bella, was almost a 180 degree opposite of Bella. She was friendly, non-biased, and sweet to everyone of all houses. She particularily liked hanging out with her (disowned) cousin, Sirius Black, who, by an odd twist, was NOT in Slytherin, but in Gryfindor. Sirius and his little group of friends were fifth years this year as well. Sirius' little brother Regulus, would be coming to Hogwarts in two years, as he was currently nine.

"ANDROMEDA BLACK!" hollered Druella.

Meanwhile, thirty yards away, a girl with jet black hair was rolling her eyes knowingly at her cousin.

"Quick, we need to get on the train before the old bat finds me!" pleaded Andromeda. Sirius grabbed her hand and dragged her deeper into the crowd. He was looking for someone who could help him…three people, actually…

"Moony!" Sirius called, finding one of his best friends standing in a line to board the train, a book in his hand. "Dromeda's got a price on her head!"

"What?" asked Moony, confused. Andromeda jerked her head in the direction of her mother. Remus Lupin nodded knwoingly and motioned for Sirius and Andromeda to follow him.

Standing in the doorway of one of the train cars was James Potter. He scanned the crowd, looking for signs of—

"PRONGS! Code #17!" Sirius called. James bit his lip and nodded. 'Code #17' was Marauder language for "one of the annoying Black matriarchs is looking for either Sirius or Andromeda Black, and said victims need a desperate getaway ASAP."

Andromeda, along with Sirius and Remus, bolted through the crowd to where James stood. Andormeda quickly threw herself up into the train. Sirius and Remus hopped on after. Druella was still aimlessly searching the crowd for signs of her middle child. A few of the first-years seemed to laugh at this little bout of mischief.

"Thanks, boys," Andromeda said, brushing herself off as she felt a strong, strudy hand help her to her feet. She looked into the eyes of Remus Lupin, the eyes that made her chill. She knew Remus had a 'crush' on her. But Remus, a bookish and sensible boy, had never bothered to pursue her, knowing the trouble it would cause on both sides: and all-out war between Sirius and Bella. Andromeda secret thought that Remus was a kind and sensitive boy…a good choice for a boyfriend. Yet, again, she was aware of the falling out between Sirius and Bella, and avoided such conflict. Neither knew that the other liked them. But still, there was something about Remus Lupin that just didn't sit right with Andromeda. He always had scars and cuts on his body. She thought for awhile he hurt himself. But then she realized that he must be an abuse victim at home. Andromeda decided long ago that Remus needed a female friend more than a female to snog with. And Remus seemed just fine with that, at least for now, anyways.

Remus and Andromeda held each other awkwardly for a moment, then dropped hands. Androemda blushed slightly and nodded at the others before heading off to find and empty compartment. Starting this year, Andromeda had been made a prefect, but the meeting in the prefect's compartment wasn't until later in the journey. For now, Andromeda just wanted to sit alone and sleep.

She luckily found an empty spot in a compartment a few cars over, after dodging several students to get to it. She went inside and locked the door. Collapsing in the seat, Andromeda held her forehead in her hands. Her head was throbbing. It would have been worse if Druella had gotten hold of her. Druella, along with the other Blacks, disapproved of her because she was kind to muggle-borns and to Sirius, who was disowned ever since he was sorted into Gryffindor rather than Slytherin. Andromeda, personally, would have rather liked to be in the house of chivarly and pride over the house of snoots and bigots. Yet, she wore the green-and-silver tie on her uniforms and cheered whenever the snake banners flew over the Great Hall after a House Cup was won.

Looking out the window, Andromed sighed. B ut as soon as she did, the door slammed opne (evidently it wasn't locked) and Bellatrix, with a pouting Cissy in tow, stormed into the apartment and sat down across from her. Cissy sat next to Andromeda and looked dreamily out the window.

"Andromeda Aries Black, mumsie was looking for you," Bella said, which an air of disgust about her voice.

"No!" Androemda, said, looking shocked. "Really?"

"You can probably expect a Howler in the next few days," Bella informed slyly. Andormeda rolled her eyes.

"And you can expect a good kick in the ass one day for the way you treat Cissy and me!" Andromeda said.

"She's not bad," said Cissy. "Tough love gets the job done, I guess."

Bella smiled at the fair-haired child. "There. At least two of us have any sense in her."

Andromeda groaned. "You're jealous because technically, when I get to school, I could put you in detention on a nightly baiss if I wanted too."

Bella actually developed a look of horror for a moment, before quickly concealing it with a smirk. "You don't scare me. I'm a N.E.W.T. student!" Bella smiled. Her last year at this dratted school forever. Her last year that she would have to force herself to associate with mudbloods and halfbloods.

"Not unless you pass your exams, which you won't if you aren't careful to stop kissing that Weasley boy and actually pay attention in your classes…"

"What's it to you if I kiss and tell with the Weasley boy a bit? It's all in good fun—"

"—Mum wants you to marry Lucius Malfoy, Bella," said Cissy dreamily. She couldn't get the image of the handsome young man out of her pre-teen girlie head.

"And she wants Andromeda to marry Frank Longbottom, and Cissy to marry young Bartimus Crouch," Bella whined. "Honestly, you'd thin k we were Muggles in arraigned marriages!"

"But Mummy said Arthur Weasley is a poor Muggle-lover and that you're wroth more than ten of him!"

"So what if I am?" asked Bella. "I can snog around all I want. Besides, I'm not going to MARRY the pathetic boy! He's just action until I can find a nice pure-blood with looks AND money!"

"Wouldn't that be Lucius Malfoy?" Andromeda asked plainly. Bella raised an eyebrow.

"No, because then I'd be doing what Mum says, and we can't have THAT, now can we?"

Cissy looked at Andormeda, who groaned. "You're a nasty bitch," she muttered.

"I know, and damn proud of it, too," Bella said, picking her long nails, sitting back. Andromeda assumed now that she wouldn't be getting her afternoon nap before she was summoned to the prefct's compartment.

If only she wasn't a Black…


	2. A Black Reputation

_**A/N: **Glad those of you who are reading this are enjoying this! __PS: I know timing is royally screwed up in this __fic__. For instance: Dora __Tonks__ was born when __Remus__ was 13, which means I made Andromeda much younger along with the rest of the sisters to fit the storyline, so no need to bash me on it. Enjoy anyways! _

_

* * *

_

About an hour went by on the train without much in the way of excitement. Andromeda anticipated going to the prefect meeting soon, so she changed into her green and silver Slytherin robes and just sat and waited longingly. Bella actually went out of her self-absorbed ways to buy Cissy a pumpkin pasty when the old woman with the candy cart came rolling by. Cissy chattered about why she DIDN'T want to get married to Barty Crouch because the boy was 'absolutely crazy', while Andromeda mused out the window and stared at the rolling countryside. She wished she could sit with Sirius, but he was sitting a few cars back, and Bella probably wouldn't allow it anyways.

Bella wasn't an overall EVIL person. She was only really just seventeen. What girl WASN'T a self-obsessed boy-crazy selfish brat at that age? Andromeda swore that she would rather have her legs eaten by the Giant Squid over being another Bellatrix Polaris Black. Cissy would be when she came of age, no doubt. She admired Bella over Andromeda any day.

"Bella, are you SURE I don't hav to marry Crouchy-Crotch like Mum said?" asked Cissy for the hundreth time. 'Crouchy-Crotch' was Cissy and Bella's name for the shabby little first-year who seemed…well…excentric, at times.

"Narcissa Aurora Black, I've TOLD you, no! Mum doesn't know shit about the times. But the ONE rule is, he must be a pureblood with money. Other than that, you choose," Bella said, running out of breath from saying the same thing over and over and..over. Cissy finally sat back in her seat with satisfaction to finish off her pasty.

Someone appeared in the doorway just then. It was a black boy in Slytherin robes. Half-blood male prefect for Slytherin, Hugo Mince. "Andromeda Black?"

"Yeah?" asked Andromeda, half-waking up from a daydream in which she and Remus Lupin were lying in each other's arms in the cool grass underneath a full-moon.

"They want us in the prefect compartment now," said Hugo. Andromeda nodded with a smile and a roll of eyes and stood up to leave with Hugo. As the door closed behind her, Andromeda heard Bella instructing Cissy in the ways of the world…

"Now, when you're choosing a man, Cissy, you must always be sure to…"

* * *

The prefect's compartment was triple the size of any other in the train. When Andromeda got there, she was greeted almost instantly by none other than Gryffindor prefects Remus Lupin…and some redheaded girl whom Androemda didn't know right off the bat. Remus smiled as she appeared.

"Andromeda! Good to see you!" Remus said. Androemda smiled. He was too friendly to like her in a way other than friendship. Andromeda nodded. "I didn't know you were a—"

"—well, I didn't exactly hang around long after you rescued me this morning!" Androemda said with a smile. The redheaded girl seemed to be cautious around Andromeda, for she too wroe the red and gold Gryffindor robes, and Androemda' Slytherin robes seemed to set her off.

Remus turned to the girl and lightly tapped her shoulder. "This is Andromeda Black, Sirius' cousin! Oh…the good one, I mean!"

"Remus, that's not a nice thing to say……..Cissy still has hope."

Remus laughed. The redheaded girl smiled lightly, seemeing to loosen up.

"And this is Lily Evans, female prefect for Gryffindor this year," Remus introduced. A suddenly bell rang out in Andromeda's head.

"Oh! You're the one James Potter wants to shag!" she blurted out, before quickly realizing what popped out of her mouth and quickly slammed it shut with horror. Lily didn't seem impressed or horryfied. In fact, she seemed kind of amused by it.

"Don't worry, I know all about Potter," Lily said with a tone of disgrace about her voice. She looked at Remus and groaned. "I really wish you would get him off it."

"What can I do? He's James Potter, and I'm a lowly prefect," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Ah!" Androemda suddenly yelped in surprise. A tall boy with mousey brown hair and deep blue eyes had bumped into her from the back. She whipped her head arund to look at the clumsy boy. Another prefect, no doubt. This boy wore the robes of Hufflepuff.

"Sorry," muttered the boy. He took his first real look at Andromeda and blushed. "Sorry..." he muttered again, much softer. Andromeda nodded skeptically and allowed the Hufflepuff prefect to pass into the apartment. Remus, Lily, and Androemda all took seats by the window. After the rest of the eight prefects had filed in, Professor Celestia, a chipper young witch, and teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts and head of Slytherin House, sat down to begin the meeting.

"First, I will do roll call…say your name when I call it," said Celestia. "Lily Evans?"

"Present!" Androemda smirked, noting that Lily sat perched on the edge of her seat like a little pigeon, eager and ready to please.

"Hugo Mince?"

"Here!"

"Ophelia Elsinore?"

"Here!" said a blonde-haired girl in Ravenclaw Robes.

"Viola Illyria?"

"I'm here," said the Hufflepuff female prefect.

"Theodore Tonks?"

"Present," muttered the clumsy Hufflepuff boy who tripped over Andromeda seconds earlier.

"Remus Lupin?"

"Yes, here," said Remus, even going to the extent of raising his hand a little bit.

"Andromeda Black?"

Before Andromeda could confirm her presence, the Ravenclaw pair began muttering with the Hufflepuff pair. Andromeda was able to pick up on some conversation…

"Black? As in the House of Black?" asked Viola.

"Yep," said Hugo, proud to be the male prefect to Andromeda's female prefect.

"Bellatrix's younger sister?" asked Theodore, looking at Andromeda as if she were a freak in a sideshow at a Muggle circus. That's how Andromeda felt. Like she was on display for the others to mutter about. Why did the Blacks have such a bad reputation?

"Yes, yes, Ted," said Hugo. Andromeda rolled her eyes at Remus, who bit his lip. Lily didn't make any gestures, she just sat and twiddled her thumbs.

"I hear that they want to wipe out all the Muggle-borns and make a pureblooded wizard society!"

"I hear that they want to shut down Hogwarts and open up a pureblood-only school in it's place!"

Theodore looked uncomfortable when they began talking about Muggle-borns, Andromeda noted. Perhaps he was one.

"Wow, who'd have thought a Black would actually become a prefect here? They're a troublesome bunch!" warned Ophelia. "Just look at that Sirius…"

"I beg to differ," said Andromeda. "You know, we Blacks may be a troublesome bunch, but we're not deaf, you know." The chatting then subsided. Theodore Tonks blushed again before turning away from Viola, his respective female prefect. Celestia looked at the group before moving on with roll call.

After the meeting was finished, Remus, Andromeda, and Lily were out in the corridor heading back to their own compartments.

"I don't want to go back and sit with Bella and Cissy," whined Andromeda. "Bella's teaching Cissy how to charm pureblooded boys."

"You don't care if people are purebloods, do you?" asked Lily, twiddling with a necklace. Andromeda quickly shook her head.

"Actually, I'd sooner marry a werewolf," Andromeda muttered. Remus suddenly coughed and looked around awkwardly. "You alright?" asked Andromeda.

"Fine," said Remus.

"You should come sit with me then!" said Lily excitedly. "I'm sitting with Bastet Pollux and Morgaine Pendragon two cars up…"

"Actually, I don't think it's a good idea to leave Cissy alone with Bella too long. The poor girl would have to spend six months in St. Mungo's to clear her head."

Remus and Lily laughed at this. Lily nodded. "I'll see you later, then!" Lily took off down the hall towards her own compartment after that. Remus looked at Andromeda.

"You sure? I could come with you…"

"Um, no thanks. We'll be arriving soon. I'm sure Sirius and James will want to see you back so they can mock you about being a good little prefect…"

"Yes, that's exactly what they're going to do." Remus moaned. Andromeda just stared at Remus for a minute and smiled mildly.

"Who was that chubby boy that followed you three around last year?" asked Andromeda.

"Oh, that's Peter Pettigrew. James took him in," said Remus, making it sound like Peter was an orphaned student. Andromeda nodded curiously.

"Oh?"

"I personally don't like him very much, but we'll see," said Remus. "He's so quiet and awkward, you'd think he'd have a hidden agenda."

"I don't know," shrugged Andromeda. "Never judge a book by its cover, Remus."

"Indeed," Remus agreed.

Andromeda didn't speak after that. She looked down towards where her compartment was and sighed woefully. "Guess I'd better go…"

"We'll have to do a trip to Hogsmeade together sometime," said Remus.

"Bella never goes to Hogsmeade. She'd much rather use the free time to snog around," Andromeda rolled her eyes and said. Remus gave a hearty laugh. "So, have a nice rest-of-the-trip," she wished, before walking down the hall, not bothering to wait and see if Remus said anything back.


	3. A Befiddling Poem

The clouds in the sky had been pregnant all morning and afternoon with rain, but by nightfall, when the students first arrived at Hogwarts, the rain began to fall…in sheets. Bella and Cissy went to find a carriage with some of Bella's friends, while Andromeda was summoned to a different carriage for the prefects. Much to her dismay, the Slytherin prefects were set to ride with the Hufflepuff prefects, and the Gryffindors with the Ravenclaws. She'd hoped to ride with Remus and Lily. Remus, well, that reason was obvious. Lily, though, seemed like she'd make a good friend, despite being in a rival house.

Andromeda climbed into the prefect carriage and slid over so Hugo could sit next to her. On the other side already were Viola Illyria and Theodore Tonks. Viola gave Andromeda a look of suspicion as she entered the carriage. Theodore looked at Andromeda with an equally-as-odd but somehow different look. This was going to be a damn long ride to school. Hugo, ever the loudmouth, decided to strike up some unwanted conversation.

"So Teddy…"

"TED, if you don't mind," corrected the Hufflepuff boy. Hugo ignored him.

"Who are your parents?" he asked.

"My father's a lawyer, and my mom works in a doctor's office."

"A WHAT?" asked Andromeda with a hint of curiousity in her voice.

"A doctor," said Ted. "They're the Muggle version of Healers, only a bit more absurd in their work and how they go about curing people. Many of them aren't very good at the medicines and potions they hand out."

"Interesting," Andromeda muttered, smiling pleasantly at Ted. Viola knitted her eyebrows.

"You're Muggle-born, Ted?" Viola asked with caution.

"Yes," said Ted.

"Then you'd better stay away from this one," said Viola, discreetly (thought not discreetly ENOUGH). "The Black family is notorious for prejudices against Muggle-borns…"

"In case you wanted to know, Viola," Andromeda began. "My cousin Sirius and I happen to be very FOND of Muggle-borns," she informed, nodding politely at Ted. Ted looked flattered and surprised that someone like Androemda Black would stick up for him. Meanwhile, Hugo rolled his eyes.

"Oh, don't seem so angelic, Andromeda, baby!" said Hugo. "All Blacks have some…ahem…BLACKness in them, if you'll pardon the pun…"

Andromeda glared at Hugo. "WHAT did you just call me…?"

"Baby! Since we're both prefects, why don't we hook up?" asked Hugo. Androemda shuttered.

"How the hell did YOU get the job of prefect, you pig?" Andromeda spat.

"I'm a charmer by nature! A SNAKE charmer, you could say," Hugo began. He discreetly slipped his hand over Andromeda's knee and began slipping ti up her thigh. "And if you're lucky, maybe the snake will make a special appearance just for you—"

"—you disgust me!" Andromeda sniped, grabbing Hugo's hand before it got too far up her leg. Hugo quickly took his hand back. Ted bit his lower lip. Viola actually laughed a little bit

"All you Slytherins are the same. Bigoted, snob-nosed little worms!" she said. Viola crossed her legs and looked directly at Andromeda as she said it. Andromeda felt something hot rise in her throat. Uh oh, here it came…whenever Andromeda got mad enough, what she called "her inner Bellatrix" came out, and she went all-out on her poor, unsuspecting victim.

"Well all Hufflepuffs are fat, jovial little gnomes who weren't brave, smart, or good enough to get sorted anywhere else! You know what Hufflepuffs are? LEFTOVERS!" Andromeda attacked Viola. Hugo smiled evilly. "You're a LEFTOVER! A cast out! None of the other houses WANT you! THERE! Slytherin doesn't seem so bad now, does it?"

Viola looked unmoved, but Ted, on the other hand, looked visibly offended. Andromeda immediatley regretted releasing her inner Bellatrix, if only for his sake. Andromeda quickly looked away and looked out the window. The Gryffindor/Ravenclaw prefect carriage was just in front of them. She saw Lily in the window. Lily apparently saw her too, because she waved. Andromeda waved back.

"Good one, 'Dromy!" Hugo said, holding up a hand for a high-five.

"Call me 'Dromy' one more time and you'll be eating your welcome feast through a straw!" threatened Andromeda. Hugo winced.

"A feisty one! I'm sure a year of patrolling with yours truly will fix that in a jiffy!" said Hugo.

"It doesn't look that way," said…surprisingly…Ted. He was chuckling to himself. Andromeda looked at him curiously. He hadn't before semeed the type to be witty or to enter himself into conversations at will. She smiled at him. Viola looked over at her partner.

"Ted! Shut UP! It's not your place!" said Viola, linking her arms with Ted's. Apparently, they were a couple. Andromeda shuddered. How could ANYONE want to go with Viola Illyria? The poor boy…

Andromeda again looked out the window, only to see the distinct shape of Hogwarts rise above them. Good. It couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

The welcome feast was pleasant, as it usually was. Dumbledore's speech was inspiring, as always. And the food was good enough, as it always was. Andromeda barely ate, however. She flound herself staring at the Gryffindor table at Remus and Sirius. They, along with James and Peter, seemed a happy, close-knit group that depended so much on each other. Kind of like a family…

"Andromeda, pass me the peppermint humbugs before I make them come out your ears!" Bella ordered her sister. Andromeda did as she was told.

Okay, maybe they weren't EXACTLY like a family.

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Sirius whacked Peter over the head with a drumstick, making his face fall into his bowl of thick, red soup. The four boys laughed hysterically, as did some of those around him.

Okay, so maybe they WERE like a family after all.

Cissy seemed to be off in her own little world as well. She held a crumpled piece of green paper in her hand that looked like it was written in a diary and then ripped out. She started intensly at the paper in between bites.

"What are you looking at, Cissy?" asked Bella.

"Just a paper with a poem I found on the floor," Cissy answered. Bella moaned.

"It's too soon to read!" she cried out. She them turned to a dark-haired man with greasy hair. "Severus, want to come down with all the 7th years to Hogsmeade to party tonight before clases start? Madame Rosemerta is probably all stocked up with firewhiskey…"

"No, Bellatrix," said the plain, almost creepy boy. "I need to unpack still."

"Aww, come on!" Bella pleaded.

"Maybe some other time," Severus Snape said before getting up and leaving the Great Hall. Androemda rolled her eyes.

"You're so obsessed with purebloods, Bella. He's only half," Androemda informed. "Not to mention, he's not very good-looking…"

"SO what? Madame Rosemerta won't open the pub for only six wizards and witches, we need more partiers. So as long as they aren't mudbloods, any Slytherins can come down for a good time! Just…not you. Because you have to play Auror tonight with your boyfriend Hugo…"

"He's NOT my boyfriend!" Andromeda pouted. Bella laughed at her sister's reaction before getting up.

"You're so naïve!" she said, leaving. Andromeda growled and went back to the Gryffindor table with her eyes/ Remus was winking at her. Andromeda quickly put on a smile for him and took a bite of carrots. As if toasting her, Remus took a forkful of carrots, rose it in the air, and did the same. Andromeda felt herself blush.

"'Dromeda, what does "Befiddle" mean?" asked Cissy suddenly.

"What? BeFIDDLE? Usually it's befuddle…"

"No…it clearly says "beFIDDLE here…" Cissy said, handing the paper over to her sister. Andromeda read the paper carefully.

_Purebloods great and mudbloods small,_

_An orphan soon shall rule them all,_

_With self in parts and armies whole,_

_And, to be safe, a spliced soul._

_Who is this champion, you ask?_

_If you want to know, there's your task,_

_For knowledge here will keep you wise,_

_Among those who think but with their eyes,_

_But warning: this task may your mind befiddle,_

_For much of man wouldn't want to solve this Riddle…_

Andromeda had to read the poem four times. Whoever wrote it certainly knew his Muggle English. For except for the "befiddle" part,this was practically a sonnet.

"What does the poem mean?" asked Cissy. Andromeda sighed.

"It's just a sonnet, Cissy, throw it away," Andromeda said, crumpling the paper into a ball and giving the paper back to her sister. But instead of obeying orders, Cissy stuffed the paper in her pocket. Something about it made Cissy want to hang on to it. Suddenly, Cissy smiled eerily.

"Yay! Dessert's out!"


	4. The Ally From Out of Nowhere

After the welcoming feast, Andromeda was thrilled to find that her duties as a prefect wouldn't begin until the next night. She was tired, and she couldn't wait to retire to her bed in the Slytherin dormitory. She was lucky enough not to share a dorm room with neither of her sisters. Instead, she shared her room with four very different girls, in both appearance and attitude. There was Gaia Burke, a girl with long red hair not unlike Lily Potter's. Gaia was so quiet and studious that Andromeda rarely got to talk to her. Gaia tended to spend all her time in the library, and she never went to Hogsmeade on the designated weekends. There was Gaia's little sister Juno, who was a precocious, cavity-formingly sweet (and sometimes loud) second year and was friends with Cissy. Then there was Andromeda's best friend Vienne Dubois, a transfer from Beauxbatons who was just as anti-bigot and anti-Slytherin-like as she was. Vienne's only flaw was that she, not unlike little Juno, was a motor mouth. Then, of course, there had to be ONE who wasn't like the others: and that was Raven Pratt. If Andromeda made a mistake in anything she did, Raven was there to show her how to make things 100 times better. Raven, nearly as rich as the Queen herself, always insisted on having everything her way: tip-top shape. The others in the room called her "the Nanny of Slytherin."

But with the exception of Raven Pratt, the girls in Andromeda's particular dormitory were a fairly close group who respected each other. The Marauders and others who thought so negatively of Slytherin would be surprised to walk into their room and find more of a sisterhood than a randomly selected group of people living together.

The one thing Andromeda DIDN'T like about the dorms were that they were in the dungeons. The lucky Gryffindors and Ravenclaws got towers. The Slytherins lived in the basement. No matter how many charms Andromeda and Vienne put on their room to brighten it up, the fact remained that the whole dormitory was underground, and therefore had no windows and natural light.

As Andromeda descended the first small set of stairs towards the dungeons, Hugo stopped her. Andromeda groaned.

"So…about that date?"

"Go jump in the lake," Andromeda said, rolling her eyes. Hugo grabbed her arm rather forcefully.

"Oh come on! You know you can't wait until hall duty tomorrow night!"

"Yeah I can't wait…I can't wait for it to be over with," said Andromeda, trying to pry herself away from Hugo. She looked up and saw Remus looking at her with a light look of worry on his face. He was trying to get the attention of Sirius, who was flirting with a third-year girl from Ravenclaw. He knew something was wrong.

"Hugo, let go," Andromeda said with all the force and half the volume. She knew if Sirius got wind of this, the next thing Hugo would say would be "ouch."

Meanwhile, Remus had gotten Sirius' attention and pointed at Hugo, still not letting go of Andromeda. Sirius began to get red in the face.

"Hugo, I'm warning you…" Andromeda began, but she was cut off when Hugo was shoved out of Andromeda's way.

But it wasn't Sirius who'd attacked Hugo. It was Ted Tonks.

Andromeda was surprised, to say the least. Ted was now fairly red in the face. He looked down at Hugo, now sprawled out on the floor, and pointed at him. Hugo looked just as shocked as Andromeda, not to mention Remus and Sirius, who were surprised that they hadn't gotten to the scene first. James had joined them and looked confused.

"Respect her wishes and stay away from her, for I'm a prefect too and can have you expelled no matter what you are…" Ted warned assertively. Hugo got up and winked at Andromeda, unfazed, and walked down the stairs towards Slytherin House. Ted turned to Andromeda.

"Thank you," Andromeda muttered, bowing her head lightly in thanks. Before Ted could respond, Viola appeared at his elbow.

"Ted, will you please walk with me? I'm lonely…" she moaned like a helpless girl from a black-and-white Muggle movie. Viola gave Andromeda a look of resentment and jealousy. It made her wonder how many times Ted went out of his way to defend HER against a rough boy…

"That comes as no surprise to me," Andromeda muttered to herself, rolling her eyes. Viola, who didn't hear, dragged Ted away, Ted looking back at Andromeda from over his shoulder every few steps before he was dragged out of sight.

Remus and Sirius, James following slightly behind, edged their way over.

"Are you alright?" asked James. Andromeda nodded.

"Who was that?" asked Sirius, looking to catch a quick glimpse of Ted Tonks (but he was already gone).

"Hufflepuff prefect," answered Andromeda. "He's…odd…but sweet at the same time."

"I don't like that Hugo boy," Remus said, shaking his head.

"And I have to patrol with him," said Andromeda, chills going up and down her spine at the thought of being alone in the dark with Hugo.

"I could talk with Professor McGonagall," Remus suggested. "I'm sure she'll understand if I were to take Hugo's place at your side for the night."

Andromeda looked weirdly at Remus. The words came out wrong. Not wrong, but…misplaced to sound more like a…love poem. Andromeda blushed as Remus realized the mistake he made. Sirius stepped forward and patted Andromeda on the shoulder. Sirius was already a tall man, but Andromeda was almost as tall as he was (she was taller than Bellatrix, actually) and Sirius looked shorter than normal standing next to her (although she was still 2-3 inches shorter than he).

"If that creep bugs you again, I'll tear off his reason for being a male and make him wear it as a necklace for a month," Sirius vowed. Remus looked at his crush concerned.

"Are you sure you'll be alright? I really could try and pull some strings with McGonagall…"

Andromeda shook her head. "No, no thank you, Remus," she smiled.

"Why would she need your help?" asked James. "What with that Hufflepuff prefect around, Andromeda has her own personal bodyguard!"

Andromeda chuckled. "I better go," she said. "See you in Potions, boys."

"Maybe," Sirius began. "I might not bother with Potions on the first day. It's always just a hassle…"

"Ah, how would you know?" asked Remus. "You haven't been to a single first day of Potions since first year!"

"A minor detail," muttered Sirius. "Take care, 'Dromeda."

"See you around," James said. After Sirius and James walked away, Remus stayed behind.

"I don't care what you say," he whispered. "If Hugo tries anything, call me and I'll rip him apart."

Andromeda had to laugh at this. "What do you mean, Remus? He's twice your weight! Hell, even I'M heavier than you!" Andromeda's laugh grew heartier. After she calmed down, she noticed how serious Remus still looked.

"There are ways, Andromeda, there are ways." And with that, Remus turned on his heel and left the stairwell for Gryffindor tower.

Andromeda wondered what he meant by that.

* * *

A few hours later, well after midnight, the girls in Andromeda's dorm room were still wide awake, having their traditional junk-food party before getting a maximum of three hours of sleep before they had to get up for class. The only one in bed was Raven, a blindfold over her eyes, trying desperately to ignore the four other girls and sleep. Gaia, Juno, Andromeda, and Vienne had all gathered on Vienne's bed to pig out and chat.

"So, what do you think of this Ted Tonks?" asked Juno.

"Don't pry, Juno!" said Gaia. "It's Andromeda's business, not yours!" Juno frowned and took a bite of a chocolate frog's head. "And you'll get tooth cavities if you eat much more of that!"

Juno set aside the frog and took a sip of juice. Vienne raised an eyebrow at Andromeda.

"You know, Andromeeda," Vienne said with her thick French accent. "I sink theeze Ted Tonks may like you…"

"Oh no," said Andromeda. "He's dating Viola Illyria."

The room was silent for a solid ten seconds.

"As an act of sympathy?" asked Juno.

"JUNO!" snapped Gaia.

Andromeda shook her head. "She definitely is the man in that relationship."

Vienne giggled. "But do you like heem, Dromeeda?"

"No," said Andromeda. "He's a good boy, but I…I have my eye on someone else."

"Not Hugo…?" suggested Gaia.

"Hell, no," Andromeda immediately dismissed. "I don't think I should tell you guys just yet."

"Vy not?" asked Vienne. Andromeda lightly motioned in the direction of Raven, then at Juno. Vienne nodded silently.

"I think we all need some sleep," said Gaia. She grabbed a Fizzing Whizbee from Juno's hand and started stashing the leftover treats away for another night. Juno whined before Gaia motioned for her to get into bed. Vienne ran a comb through her thin blonde hair (which Andromeda was jealous of as opposed to her own thick, dark mop) and winked at Andromeda.

"You can tell me in zee morning," she said, blowing out the small green candle by her bed. Andromeda sighed. She could trust Vienne. She knew that well enough.

Once the lights were out and Andromeda was under her covers, she smiled and closed her eyes, ready to go to the beautiful happy place under the full moon where she went so often to stargaze with Remus after she closed her eyes.


	5. A Visit to Hagrid's

For a 12 year old girl, Cissy Black had the attention span of a walnut. She fell asleep in nearly every class the next morning. History of Magic was ALWAYS a bore, but even in practical classes like Charms (Professor Flitwick loved doing demonstrations), Cissy found herself dozing off. In her Herbology class, where Professor Sprout chatted on and on about the properties of saltwater gillyweed versus freshwater and their advantages to other underwater charms such as the Bubble-Head charm and transfiguring, Cissy went into a trancelike sleep. She felt the weight of the world lift of her as she fell deeper and deeper into dreamland…

_Cissy was walking down the Hogwarts corridor at night. None of the prefects were around, and nor were the teachers. The torches weren't lit. She was alone. Cissy gulped as she moved forward. Suddenly, she turned a corridor into the bathroom, which happened to be nearby. Why __was she__ here…and why was it so much bigger than the normal __Slytherin__ bathroom? Cissy looked around, curious. _

_"__Whoaaaaa__…."_

_Cissy, startled, turned around to find __Moaning__ Myrtle (she'd heard stories, but never saw her) floating above her head, wailing. _

_"__Why a__re you here?" asked Myrtle. "Here to scare me away like that mean boy before?"_

_"What? No, I was just lost…" Cissy reasoned._

_"Well, you're a second year, you shouldn't still be losing your way around here," Myrtle said, choking and crying. _

_"Are you alright?"_

_"NO!" Myrtle suddenly burst. Cissy jumped back. Myrtle, l seeing the look on __Cissy's__ face, softened her look. "Sorry," she muttered._

_"Myrtle…what boy came in here to taunt you?" asked Cissy. "This is a girl's bathroom."_

_"He comes in here a lot to hide," said Myrtle. "He's dreadfully cute, but he's got no heart! Called me a __mudblood__, he did. He told me that I got what I deserved!" _

_Cissy didn't speak. __Mudblood__One of Bella's favorite words.__ Cissy had actually begun to use it herself subconsciously. _

_"Who is he?" asked Cissy._

_"Tom," said Myrtle. "One of his schoolbooks said so."_

_"He must be really rude. Wait…where can he possibly hide in HERE? One of the toilets?" asked Cissy. Myrtle shook her head and pointed at the sink. Cissy walked slowly over and leaned over the sink. This one was different than the __others,__ it had a snake emblem on it. She suddenly heard a hissing noise floating through the air. Suddenly, the sink moved, and Cissy jumped backwards as the sink seemed to open a trapdoor that led down into a black oblivion down below. _

_While bending over to have a look, Cissy felt a shadow overtake her. She turned around and looked into two eyes. __Two deadly, scary eyes._

"Miss Black!" Professor Sprout snapped. Cissy's head flew off her desk.

"Myrtle, look out!" she cried immediately. Laughter broke out in the room. Juno, who sat beside her, poked Cissy in the elbow.

"Sprout asked you…"

"Never mind, Miss Black. Detention," she said. Cissy groaned. Not another one.

* * *

Cissy decided that Potions wasn't really important that afternoon, so she instead elected to pay Hagrid a visit.

Hagrid and Cissy were really good friends. Cissy always liked Hagrid being a sappy, gentle man despite his enormous size. Hagrid thought Cissy was about the cutest little girl he'd ever seen. Whenever she felt troubled, she always went to his little hut by the pumpkin patch. And he'd always be there with pumpkin juice and some interesting new pet for her to see.

"Hagrid!" Cissy called as she approached the bottom of the hill. "Hagrid!"

She found Hagrid sitting on the steps to the front door of his hut, playing a flute. Hagrid looked almost unpleasantly shocked to see Cissy coming.

"Narcissa Black, you should be in class!" he scolded. "I'm not going to have the teachers chasing after me because I was chatting with yeh during a class! Isn't yer sister a prefect this year too?"

"Yes," said Cissy. "I've had a hard morning," she said. "Could I stay just a few minutes?"

"Er…I suppose so," said Hagrid. "Come on in. I got a new friend just the other day. I call him Georgie!"

Hagrid showed Cissy into his hut. In a small cage by the table sat a rather simple animal…it was just a pigeon, actually. Cissy laughed.

"A common pigeon!" exclaimed Cissy, trying to hold back her laughter. "After the baby dragon you named Leo and the grindylow you named Annabella, you got a pigeon named Georgie?!"

"Well, he ain't exactly a hippogriff (I'd do anything for a hippogriff), but he's certainly got spirit! Look at 'im! He's such a sweet little guy!"

Cissy smiled. Hagrid was certainly in interesting fellow to hang out with. Hagrid got up and went to his fireplace, where a kettle of water was just about to boil. "Would yeh like some tea?"

"Yes, thanks."

Cissy felt around in her pocket. She extracted the small curious poem she found last night. Maybe Hagrid knew what 'befiddle' meant, and if it was similar to the word 'befuddle' that Andromeda mentioned. Cissy had asked Juno Burke at breakfast, but Juno was too busy whining about her older sister and how she was like her mother away from home to care about Cissy's grammatical inquiry. Cissy knew Hagrid would understand. She was actually becoming a little befiddled by the poem herself.

"Hagrid, I was wondering. You have a different accent…" Cissy began.

"Well, sorta, I guess," said Hagrid, brewing the tea now.

"What does 'befiddle' mean?" Cissy asked.

"What? 'Befiddle?" That's about the strangest word I ever heard, and I've heard some strange Muggle words, like 'taxidermy' and 'orthodontist.'"

"You don't know what it means? This poem uses it and it's about the most pretty poem I ever read!"

"Go ahead and read it to me," said Hagrid, pouring the tea into two cups and then setting one next to Cissy at the table.

Cissy cleared her throat and read…

_Purebloods great and __mudbloods__ small,_

_An orphan soon shall rule them all,_

_With self in parts and armies whole,_

_And, to be safe, a spliced soul._

_Who is this champion, you ask?_

_If you want to know, there's your task,_

_For knowledge here will keep you wise,_

_Among those who think but with their eyes,_

_But warning: this task may your mind __befiddle_

_For much of man wouldn't want to solve this Riddle…_

When Cissy looked up from the sheet of paper, Hagrid's teacup was shaking in his hand, a look of horror in his face, which was drained of all color. "Hagrid? What's the matter?" asked Cissy.

"Say the last two lines again…" Hagrid ordered quietly.

Cissy didn't hesistate.

_But warning: this task may your mind __befiddle_

_For much of man wouldn't want to solve this Riddle…_

Cissy looked up at Hagrid again. He didn't look any better. "Hagrid! Sit down! You look positively ill!"

""An orphan soon shall rule them all…" Hagrid muttered. "Who gave this to yeh!? Tell me now!" Hagrid yelled uncharacteristically. Cissy felt the piece of parchment shake in her hand.

"I found it on the floor under my seat at the Slytherin table last night! I didn't write it, I swear!" Cissy said, tears coming to her eyes.

Hagrid suddenly changed his expression as he snatched the paper from Cissy and read it. Before saying anything else, he tossed it into the fire. Now, it might have been her imagination, but Cissy could have sworn that for a split second after Hagrid tossed the poem into the fire, the flames blew green.

"Hey!" Cissy protested.

"That there poem, you must forget all about it, yeh understand? Don't ask questions about it to anyone at all. Got it, Narcissa?"

Cissy was speechless. Hagrid took that as a 'yes' and sat down. "Sorry 'bout that," he muttered.

Cissy took a sip of her tea, but that was all that she had time to drink, because the door burst open, and Bella burst into the hut, angry as hell. Cissy stood up. Hagrid rolled his eyes. For as much as he liked Andromeda and adored little Cissy, Bellatrix Black seemed to annoy the living soul out of Hagrid.

"Narcissa Aurora Black! McGonagall just spent 30 minutes yelling at me for you skipping your Potions class! She called ME a bad influence on you! ME as a BAD influence! And she gave me detention for it!"

"Good afternoon, Bellatrix," muttered Hagrid sarcastically. Bella shot him a look. Cissy groaned and went to stand beside her sister.

"Come along, Cissy. We'll talk about this in my room," she ordered.

"Bye Hagrid," Cissy moaned as she left with Bella. Hagrid looked a little sorry to see his visitor go.

Meanwhile, as the two girls climbed back up the hill to the castle, Cissy couldn't help but wonder, why did Hagrid burn the poem she found? Why did he seemed so shock by the fact that an orphan would "soon rule them all?" Was 'befiddle' a swear word Cissy had never heard of before? Was that why Hagrid wanted the poem destroyed?

Even so, Cissy decided that she knew her purpose this year. She was going to find out the meaning of the word 'befiddle' if it killed her.


	6. Finding the Inner Bellatrix

After Cissy got her into trouble on the very first day of class, Bellatrix skipped the evening meal to head up to the owlery to write a rather nasty letter reporting the incident to Druella. Bella was so angry, because McGonagall had forbidden Bella from going to Hogsmeade until after the holiday break as an extra punishment for lashing out in her office when McGonagall ruled that the detentions against both sisters was fair and just.

Once in the Owl tower, Bella took a seat by a window and whipped out a quill and parchment to begin scribbling.

_Mumsie__ Dearest,_

_It's only been a day and already I want to quit school and move away. Honestly, I should have gone to __Beauxbatons__ when I had the chance, Mum. I have a detention and am on probation and forbidden from going to __Hogsmeade__ until after the holiday vacation. Why should I stay here? Honestly, I'm of age now. I want to get OUT of this hell hole! _

_Andromeda's being a stupid little __git__, as always. She purposefully tried to avoid you yesterday before getting on the train. I begged her to give you a quick kiss goodbye, but she insisted on sitting with Sirius. Yes, even AFTER you told us that he was no longer a member of our family, she hugs and kisses the __boy__ like he's her brother. It's repulsive. Can't we disown her too, __Mumsie?_

_As for your __'__little Cissy,__'__ she skipped a potions class and went to visit that mammoth creature one could barely call a human being: Hagrid. I was informed that she was last seen skipping out on Potions and running down the hill toward his hut. Then Minerva McGonagall called me a 'bad example for my little sisters' and gave me DETENTION! I got Cissy back, but she's been rebelling and giving me lip ever since I shoved her in our room. She's probably sitting at the table at dinner mouthing off about me, __Mumsie__. I know it. _

_In short, send __firewhiskey. __LOTS of it. __ASAP._

_Bella_

Bellatrix sealed up the letter and wrote the address on the envelope. She whistled to her black-feathered owl, Hermia, who came immediately to her. Bella gave her the letter, and she watched as Hermia flew off to the south. Bella hoped this time, Druella would see how incredibly annoying it was being her sisters' keepers.

"Bellatrix?" asked a small, sweet masculine voice. Bella turned around to see Arthur Weasley standing there, looking rather flushed. "I'm here to send a letter to mum. How are you? I didn't see you after before we boarded the train…"

"So what?" Bellatrix snapped. "Are you stalking me?"

"Merlin, no!" Arthur said. "But, I was wondering, would you like me to buy you a drink at the Three Broomsticks next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Actually, I wouldn't," Bella said coldly. Arthur couldn't believe his ears.

"But…yesterday, I felt something between us…something real…"

"Yeah, and if it hasn't gone down by now, you should see a Healer." Bella snuffed. Arthur went red.

"Bella, what are you talking about?"

"Ugh!" Bella spun on her heel to face Arthur. "Weasley. You're too poor and way too boyish for me. Don't you know me? I play the field. I screw around. You're lucky I decided to break up before we got to bed!" she said, exasperated, but like it was a routine at the same time. Arthur was hurt.

"So, I was a toy for you to snog until you found someone else?"

"Damn straight," said Bella. "If you want a true love, go find Molly Prewett. The girl's a bag woman…just like you. Get married and make babies with her, okay? Because I'm not your friend."

"I'm confused," Arthur began. Bella picked a fingernail.

"Doesn't surprise me," she retorted. Arthur grew red with rage.

"One day…" threatened Arthur. "One day, someone will come along who will be able to put you in line. A man, a REAL man. And you'll be sorry you treated me poorly, along with your sisters and everyone else at Hogwarts, you…you bitch!" Arthur said, his voice gaining in strength. Man, the boy really must have been heartbroken…

"Go away, Weasley," Bella moaned. Arthur obeyed without a protest, having said what he originally intended to say. Bella rolled her eyes and muttered to herself.

"Damn, I swear, if anything happens this year to me, it will be me joining forces with some jerk to destroy the world for all but purebloods, just to find an outlet for my rage."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Great Hall, Andromeda had stuck around after dinner. Remus and Sirius wanted to talk to her. As it turned out, all the boys wanted to talk about was her protecting herself is Hugo tried anything during that night's patrolling duty. The Gryffindor pair had the fifth floor; the Slytherins were taking the ground floor and the basement. Andromeda felt like she was being scolded by her two older brothers.

"So, if Hugo touches you, scream…"

"And tell a teacher…"

"Do NOT think you can't get away…"

"Because odds are, with no one else around, you'll be able to run…"

"BOYS!" yelled Andromeda, fed up with her two fathers warning her about men. "I am NOT Cissy's age! Hugo may be a big jerk, but if I know that boy, he won't be able to mess with me!"

"Good attitude!" Sirius cheered, patting Andromeda on the shoulder.

"I guess we should be going," Remus said, sticking his hands into his pockets. Andromeda nodded and smiled.

"You've both been a great help, boys," she said. "I'm sure I can manage." And with that, not even a subtle wink in Remus' direction like she was so tempted to do (because it WAS flattering that Remus was instructing her how to defend herself because she would be all alone), Andromeda left the Marauder boys to themselves. Sirius turned to Remus.

"Want to set off a few Dungs by the Slytherin bathroom before calling it a night?"

"No…" Remus said, looking after Andromeda as she left to go downstairs. Even in her black school robes,. Andromeda had quite the figure. She wasn't delicate, like Lily Evans. Andromeda was much curvier, much plumper (while NOT being fat…she was gracefully curvy) than Lily. Remus found that sexy.

Although he knew in his heart he couldn't find that sexy.

* * *

"Cissy, what are you doing in here?" asked Andromeda. Cissy was sitting on a bed as Andromeda walked into her dorm room a few minutes later. She had felt so…so turned on by Remus trying to protect her from a sexual harassment from Hugo Mince, and of course, of all times, Cissy turned up in her room. "I have prefect duty in ten minutes and can't find my badge!"

"Bella hates me."

Andromeda barely raised a thick eyebrow. "Cissy, we both know Bella. She'd hate her own mum if it would benefit herself."

Cissy sat back on Raven Pratt's bed and looked up at the ceiling. "I got detention tonight…"

"With whom? When?" asked Andromeda, finding her Slytherin prefect badge and pinning it to her chest.

"McGonagall is making me clean her room the 'Muggle way' tonight at nine."

"What did you do to deserve THAT?" asked Andromeda. Her Transfiguration class that day had been a messy one (they'd been trying to turn various fruits into animals) and that the room was no doubt next to an artistic masterpiece. "Alone?"

"No, Bella's got one too. That's why I'm afraid."

"Oh…" Andromeda nodded, trying to suppress a giggle.

"I don't want to die…" Cissy muttered.

"Huh?"

"Bella's going to kill me!" Cissy said whining. "I skipped out on Potions and Bella mouthed back at McGonagall for me and got the same, AND she added Hogsmeade probation until January!"

"Ouch," Andromeda muttered. "Well, Cissy, if Bella kills you,. You can be a ghost and make her eat slugs every night after that, okay?"

"Very funny. I'm not four," said Cissy. Andromeda sighed.

"No, but you act like it a LOT," Andromeda informed.

"Do I?" asked Cissy. Andromeda nodded and got her purse. She shoved a few licorice wands in there for shift-time snacking.

"I don't think it's all your fault," she said. "You're the baby, you're used to acting young for your age. Just like Bella's used to being the dominating bitch, and I'm used to sitting back and enjoying watching you two get in trouble!"

"Oh come on, DON'T release your inner Bellatrix NOW!" Cissy said. Andromeda nearly fell onto her bed, laughing. It was then that Raven Pratt walked into the room and glared at Cissy on her bed.

"What is she doing on my bed? I didn't LET her on to my bed, but she's sitting there anyways!" Raven said.

"Well, we didn't LET you into the room, but you came in anyways," Cissy shot back. Andromeda cracked a smile. Cissy had some of Bellatrix in her wit, too, it seemed. Raven looked offended.

"We have to go," said Andromeda. "Don't skip the detention, okay?" she said, sternly to Cissy as she shoved Cissy out of her room and into the corridor. She then turned to Raven before shutting the door.

"Have fun with yourself tonight," she said, smiling sweetly and shutting the door. She then followed Cissy into the common room.

"I won't skip detention," promised Cissy. "Have fun with Hugo!"

"Not likely," Andromeda moaned.

This was going to be a loooong night…


	7. The Long Night: Part I

_**A/N:** I seriously expected more reviews from you guys. If you __like this story…review__ it!!!! __PLZ???__Is it seriously bad, because if no one likes it, then I won't bother updating.__ I need reviews in order to be motivated to move on with this story, okay? _

* * *

Cissy hated McGonagall's room. It was so…BIG and empty. Void of anything either fun or warm or comforting. The old professor must have liked teaching in Azkaban-like prison cells. The room, just as Andromeda had hypothesized, was covered in juice and crap, and it was beginning to smell like how it looked…BAD. It would take until dawn for just herself and Bella cleaning this up. And that wouldn't make things better, considering she'd fallen asleep several times yesterday. Cissy looked up from her feet as Bella walked into the room, beyond pissed off at the world. Bella, defying school rule, wasn't wearing school robes. She wore a tight black t-shirt saying "Purebloods Make the Best Lovers" and jeans. This was odd, because Cissy rarely saw her sister wear Muggle clothes. Even when not in her school robes, Bella had always worn some form of causal robe or sweeping black dress.

"Bella," Cissy hissed. "You should be in your robes!"

"This from the girl who cut class to visit Thor, the Freak Giant Wonder?" Bella rolled her eyes, taking a seat three desks away from Cissy. Cissy didn't speak, but rather stared at her big sister. She was jealous. Of both Bella and Andromeda. They had the traditional Black Family good looks. Dark hair, striking eyes, and beautiful womanly bodies. Andromeda even was tall, taller than most of the men in seventh year. Bella's hair was so dark and thick, curly and gorgeous. Meanwhile, Cissy had long, straight, pale blonde sticks falling down her back. She was frail and delicate compared to her sisters. Her eyes weren't as stand-out as her sisters. Often times, a teacher would take roll-call and wouldn't believe that she was, indeed a member of the Black family tree. It said so on the wall at 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Bella, you can't stay mad at me forever, you've done worse yourself," she assured.

"Try. Me." Said Bella, emphasizing both words to make a sentence of their own. "And while I may have done worse, I never got !" The last word, Bella screamed so loud, that the Owlery suddenly went crazy, and several windows coming from the nearby Hufflepuff dormitory lit up.

"Well, like it or not, we're here!" Cissy said. "So can we at least TRY not to kill each other?"

Bella didn't answer, for that was when Minerva McGonagall stepped into the room, wearing her usual emerald green robes. She took one look at Bella and frowned.

"I expected as much," McGonagall said, pursing her lips. "At least Narcissa had the decency to carry out her punishment in the correct attire."

"I'm not a slave. I will wear what I please after class," Bella hissed defiantly through her teeth.

"Ten points from Slytherin," McGonagall said. Bella rolled her eyes. So what? Ten points. What WERE points anyway? It wasn't like the House Cup prize was a million Galleons.

"As you can see, my room is a—where's October?"

"Who?" asked Cissy.

"October Yeager, a sixth year Ravenclaw. He was supposed to be here tonight too…" McGonagall said, looking around. Cissy looked behind her. No one was there.

"Well, I guess that leaves more work to you two, then. No spells, I want the room cleaned the Muggle way. Now, I won't be here for awhile. I have a meeting with some of the teachers. We'll see how far along you are by midnight. There are cleaning supplies behind my desk, and NO looking at the Gryffindor student files, is that understood, Bellatrix? Narcissa?"

"Yes," said Cissy obediently. Bella still didn't speak. McGonagall nodded at Cissy and left the room without another word. Cissy went to quickly get the cleaning supplies. She read the bottles and such, and immediately began working on the windows surrounding the room (there were a lot of them…and they were BIG). However, Bella sat down and put her feet up on McGonagall's desk with a pile of several folders.

"Score…" she muttered as she read the four file names: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew. Cissy looked over her shoulder at Bella and gasped.

"She said not to touch those!" Cissy warned. Bella shrugged.

"She's not going to be back until midnight. What, you expect me to CLEAN until then?" Bella asked. Cissy stared blankly at her sister and decided that it wasn't worth putting up a fight and went back to her window.

"Let's start with our ex-relative, Sirius Black, shall we?" Bella said pleasantly. Opening up the file. She began reading aloud, so Cissy couldn't help but overhear. "Academic records: A in Defense, P in History, E in Potions, what a crock! I thought he failed everything…"

"Bella…"

"Social/Behavioral Records: HERE we go! Sirius Orion Black, while popular with his peers, particularly of the female sex, had gotten into a fair amount of trouble with his best friend, see James Potter. Third year, he was given a total of 19 detentions, only 6 of which he attended. He nearly avoided explusion his fourth year after trying to set off a Dungbomb in Professor Flitwick's classroom in the middle of a lesson. Ya, ya, ya….it just goes on like that. Four freaking pages of problems! Heh, and Mum says I'm the hellraiser of the family. Well, I guess I AM now…"

Cissy moved on to another window. "Bella, I really don't think you should…"

"Let's move on to Remus Lupin, the one who doesn't know how to eat or get rid of the massive scars on his face…"

"I'm working, so could you please—"

"Academic records: O, O, O, O….no surprise there, the boy has no life other than in the library…" Bella read off systematically. "There's so many Os here, you'd think these were lyrics for a Muggle disco song."

Cissy laughed at this. Some of the Muggle-borns listened to that crap…and from what Cissy heard of it (a Muggle-born named Louise listened to it in their dormitory sometimes), it WAS crap. Bella continued.

"—Social/Behavioral Issues: Remus John Lupin is a well-mannered student who seems to get along fine with his fellow classmates. During a short and confident therapy session late fourth year (a session recommended due to the temporary drop of his grades), Remus admitted to falling in love with Slytherin student Andromeda Black—"

Bella stopped reading. Cissy dropped her bucket of water.

"Remus Lupin is in love with 'Dromeda?" asked Cissy. "How…how…"

"HILARIOUS! HA HA HA!!!" Bella laughed. "Wait'll she gets a load of this!"

"Bella, please, those files are private! Remus will die of embarrassment if…"

"Hold on, there's more: After admitting his fascination and romantic interest in Andromeda Aries Black, Remus was discouraged from pursuing the romance due to his lycanthropy…**_LYCANTHROPY?!"_** Bella shrieked.

Cissy gave Bella a look of horror. Bella stared blankly for a moment.

"What the hell is lycanthropy?" asked Bella after a moment of silence. Cissy shrugged.

"Maybe it's related to the word 'befiddle'?" she asked hopefully. Bella shrugged.

"Well, if Lupin isn't allowed to chase after our 'Dromeda, then there's no use in me telling her, is there? No fun for me. But maybe it says in the folder what lycanthropy is…" Bella began flipping through the folder. She paused a moment to flick some dark hair out of her face.

Cissy knew this was completely wrong, but she herself began finding herself interested in what the folders had to say. It was a curiosity she couldn't control…

"Maybe it's a kind of cancer? Or illness?" she suggested.

"Damned if I know," Bella muttered. "Here's something…" Bella muttered, reading allowed again. "Remus John Lupin suffers from lycanthropy and has been since early childhood. As a result—"

"—SORRY I'M LATE!" called a masculine voice from the doorway, making Bella slam the file shut in surprise. She lost her place. It was October Yeager.

"Damn," said Bella. "Fun's over, Cissy," she muttered. Cissy went back t washing her window.

"I was caught up in the ruckus on the first floor," October informed.

"Ruckus? We're missing RUCKUS?" asked Bella, moaning, as if in pain.

"The Slytherin prefect Hugo Mince just got knocked out by your sister! He was trying to make a move and there was a huge brawl because the Gryffindor prefect Lupin found them! Then Hugo started kicking the tar out of Lupin, and Andromeda got Hugo right in the face! It was awesome! So, where do you want me to start?"

Bella looked at Cissy, both of their mouths wide open.

"Bellatrix? Narcissa?" asked October, waiting for his answer.

Bella remained quiet. Cissy smiled. "Looks like Remus is up for the chase after all…"

"Even better, I think out 'Dromeda's going to be joining us in detention tomorrow night!"

"TOMORROW?!" asked Cissy. Bella got up from her seta and went to grab Cissy by the wrist.

"Let's go see!" Bella said excitedly, dragging Cissy out of the room, leaving poor October alone in the dark room, utterly confused.


	8. The Long Night: Part II

Prefect duty started off fairly decently, actually. Hugo seemed to not really show interest in Andromeda for much of the first hour. Andromeda even 'rewarded' him by giving him one of her licorice wands for his good behavior.

Basically, prefect duty consisted of wandering the halls and writing up any students who were caught out of their common rooms after curfew. It was a suck-ass job. Andromeda wondered if this was really a reward for being so well-behaved, or if it was punishment for not acting like a normal teenager and flipping off the world. After the first hour, Andromeda would have bet her Sickles on the latter. They'd done six laps around the first floor and the basement in that first hour. Andromeda was sure she'd lost a few inches off her calves, they hurt so much from going up and down the stairs repeatedly. And so far, not one student was out of bed after curfew.

Andromeda passed a lot of the time daydreaming about…you guessed it…Remus Lupin. He was several floors above her, doing the exact same thing as she was doing as she paced. Andromeda, truth be told, couldn't quite tell why she fancied Remus so intensively. It began at the end of third year, she supposed. She'd gotten behind on her Potions, and Remus had heard of this from Sirius. Remus tutored her during finals, and then he took her to Hogsmeade himself for a celebratory butterbeer after they both got Os. He wasn't all that handsome. He always had scars on his face, and he was thin as a rail. Andromeda could've probably blown him clear over with one huff and puff. His hair was long and in front of his face.

But then, to make up for lack of good looks, Remus possessed something that no other boy in school, not even Sirius, had. Compassion for EVERYONE. Andromeda had seen him around: Remus have everyone a chance. He didn't judge until he knew. He was even nice to Bellatrix before she told him to shove his head in Moaning Myrtle's toilet. He had such a gentle hand, especially with the little ones. He was tutoring first years in the Great Hall this year. That afternoon, Andromeda's heart nearly melted when she saw him with the little Hufflepuff girl he was tutoring this term. He took out his wand and made a small rose appear out of nowhere and gave it to her. Andromeda smiled, thinking that if she could gather up the guts one day, he'd be giving her that rose.

"What time is it?" asked Hugo after that first hour had ended. Andromeda wished there was a clock nearby, but their wasn't.

"Oh, odds are only about an hour passed," Andromeda muttered.

"Shit," thought Hugo. "Three more of these suckers before we can go to bed…"

"My legs are aching so much I could cut them off and feel relieved!" Andromeda moaned, stopping her stride to rub the back of her calf. Hugo stopped to wait for her.

"You know," Hugo muttered, "I could do that for you…"

"Do what?" asked Andromeda. "Cut off my legs? I was kidding."

"No," said Hugo, shaking his head. "Massage them…"

Shit, thought Andromeda. She gave him the candy too soon. Hugo reached out a bold hand to touch her thigh, but Andromeda smacked it away.

"Stay off me, Hugo," she said, staring at him. Hugo smiled.

"Andromeda, you're a gorgeous girl. I mean, who wouldn't want a piece of you? You're like Bellatrix, only you're not a bitch," he said.

"Talk about my sister like that one more time, and you'll be searching for your testicles in the Dark Forest without any eyes!" Andromeda said, taking out her wand and pointing it at Hugo's neck. Hugo took out his own wand.

"Good idea, it's getting dark…_Lumos_." A small spark shot out of Hugo's wand, illuminating the hall. Andromeda looked around and didn't even realize that Hugo had subtly backed her into a wall.

"Hugo, get off me, I don't want—"

"—are you a virgin? I bet you are," Hugo said lustfully. "How about you let a man of experience help you out with that? You know, I may be a bit younger, but I helped Bellatrix out with the same problem…and she ASKED me too."

"Don't flatter yourself," said Andromeda. "She would've slept with Filch if she was bored enough."

"Come on, 'Dromy…your little Hufflepuff Auror isn't here, so what are you gonna do?" Hugo asked tauntingly. Hugo had pinned her up against the wall. Hugo used his free hand to get underneath Andromeda's skirt. She felt it coming every so close, no matter how tight she pressed her legs together. She let out a bloodcurdling scream. It was all she could do.

Not that anyone could hear her…

* * *

Three floors above, Remus Lupin and Lily Evans were pacing through the halls on the fourth floor. Remus looked out a window as they passed one. The clear night was lit by a waxing half-moon. A week from now, he'd be out in the Dark Forest on the worst night of each month. He was always so lonely out there. James, Sirius, and Peter had not yet safely perfected their Animagi animals and therefore still could not join him. James was having trouble growing hooves, Sirius' tail kept coming out of his mouth, and Peter couldn't shrink down to size as of yet. Remus counted the hours until his loathsome transformation. Hopefully James, Sirius, and Peter could run alongside him one of these days.

"Remus?" asked Lily, breaking the silence that had ensued since the first hour.

"Yes?" asked Remus. Lily looked at her feet.

"Why is Andromeda Black in Slytherin?" she asked.

"Damned if I know, Lily," said Remus. "Who am I to guess what the Sorting Hat does?"

"I was just wondering, because she's too good for Slytherin. I mean, she's…she's NICE. She didn't care that I'm a Muggle-born. She's seems more like Sirius than anyone else I know. I mean, she's just so…Gryffindor-ish. Sirius evidently was, why wasn't she?"

Remus thought for a moment. "Because someone needed to keep little Cissy safe from Bellatrix!" he said. Lily smiled, but only vaguely. "If anyone should be a Slytherin it should be James Potter!" she declared. "That arrogant two-bit excuse for a toerag would fit in great with all those serpents and gits!"

Remus shook his head at Lily, half amused. Could she BE any more transparent? "Oh no, don't say—"

Lily and Remus suddenly turned back-to-back and whipped out their wands. The shouting sounded like it was far below them…possibly on the first floor or the dungeons.

"What the bloody hell…?" Remus muttered. "It's downstairs a ways…sounds like someone got hurt…"

Lily jumped around to face Remus. "I'll get Madam Pomfrey, you check things out," she ordered, running upstairs to the hospital, while at the same time, pointing for Remus to head the other way. Remus ran the way her finger pointed and without thinking, began flying down the stairs at the speed of light.

* * *

Andromeda couldn't hold Hugo back. He'd gotten his hand as far as he wanted it to go, and Andromeda was shaking. "STOP IT!!!!" she yelled. Hugo pointed his wand at her mouth.

_"__SIlencio__!"_ Andromeda felt she couldn't scream anymore. She was feeling herself starting to black out with the shock. Hugo was undoing her blouse, button by button…

"GET OFF HER!" yelled a sudden voice Andromeda found familiar. Hugo's wand went black, and all she could see were shadows. "Get your filthy paws of her, you animal!" yelled her sudden savior.

"Remus Lupin, so, you here to rescue the little lady?" asked Hugo, raising his wand.

Remus was her hero?

_"__Expelliarmus__!"_yelled Remus. Hugo's wand flew from his hand. Andromeda had to support herself against the wall. Her blouse was wide open and her bra and midriff were fully exposed to both men, but she didn't notice nor care. She sank to the floor to ctach her breath and hide herself. "Fight like a man and not like a wuss!" he hissed, a venom in his voice Andromeda had never heard before, like a wolf protecting it's cub.

"Come and try me out, Lupin!" Hugo countered, and Remus leapt at him without hesitation. Andromeda felt dizzy, but she couldn't take her eyes off the two mangled bodies on the floor, duking it out…over her.

"There! That good enough for you, Lupin?!" Hugo was shouting. Remus was clearly losing the fight, for his thin, frail little body was no match for bulky Hugo. Hugo was sitting over Lupin, dealing punch after bunch. He could kill Remus that way! The fight (or rather, the slaughter) went on for what seemed like ages. Remus was a goner.

Andromeda staggered weakly to her feet, anger welling up in her soul.

"H…Hugo?" she asked. Hugo whipped around the face Andromeda, beyond pissed.

"WHAT?" he asked, angry. Andromeda said nothing. She put all her weight into the one roundhouse punch she threw at Hugo's jaw. Straight on target, Hugo fell to the floor, knocked clearly out. Remus stood up quickly, amazed. Andromeda's punch had drained all her energy, and she couldn't hold on anymore.

Andromeda began hearing other voices, all female, surround her, but their faces were blank. Andromeda fainted, exhaustedly, right into Remus' arms.


	9. The Long Night: Part III

Andromeda blinked her eyes open a few hours later in the hospital wing, lying on her back in a bed. She wasn't IN bed; she was just on top of the bleached-white sheets, still in her robes and everything. She sat up straight, a slight headache coming to her. She looked around. Next to her was another lump lying in bed, barely conscious. Andromeda recognized it immediately as her savior (okay…so she'd technically saved HIM, but Andromeda liked thinking of it as going both ways). The clock on the bed next to her told her that it was close to midnight, but not quite there.

The hospital was empty save for Remus. Andromeda figured that no one really got hurt until at least the first week of classes were over. The shadows on the walls nearly scared Andromeda, they were so sharp and ominous. A few of the owls from the nearby Owlery were hooting loudly into the night as they'd been released for the night to hunt down some mice for their dinner. Altogether, the atmosphere was hauntingly peaceful. Andromeda actually kind of liked it. Cissy would've been still too afraid, and Bella wouldn't have given a damn if the room looked like a cell in Azkaban. Andromeda felt herself in those situations a lot. She felt she was the most observant one of the trio of Black sisters.

She rolled over on her side to see if Remus was awake, but Madam Pomfrey arrived at her side first.

"Are you alright? Can you remember anything, Miss Black?"

"Anything and everything," said Andromeda, smiling. "Want to hear a Black joke?"

"Miss Black, we do not promote racism here…"

"How many Blacks does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" Andromeda asked, ignoring Madam Pomfrey.

"Miss Black—"

"—none, no one in their family has ever bothered to learn because they've got House Elves!"

Madam Pomfrey smiled, relieved. She patted Andromeda's shoulder. "You may go back to your common room if you wish…"

Andromeda looked again at Remus, lying beside her. "I might stay just a few minutes more."

"So be it," said Madam Pomfrey. "I do hope Dumbledore sees fit to expel that boy," she muttered before starting to flit away like she always did. "And he was such a model student too!"

Andromeda suddenly had a bad idea…she couldn't remember very much about what happened…how far did Hugo get on her?

"Madam Pomfrey? Did Hugo get….you know…all the way with me?"

Madam Pomfrey smiled. "No dear. Let me give you a word of advice: when that young man wakes up, thank him, because I can bet you that were it not for his quick action, Hugo might have done worse…" and with that, Andromeda was left alone with Remus. She leaned over his bed and ran her finger gently down the side of his cheek. His right eye had been blackened in the fight against Hugo.

Remus stirred upon Andromeda's touch. He rolled over so he was looking up at her face.

"Andromeda…?" he asked. "You alright?" His voice, surprisingly, did NOT sound weak, but rather afraid for her.

"I'm alright. Hugo didn't get as far as he wanted to," said Andromeda. "I'm still a virgin—"

Suddenly, Andromeda broke off. She'd gone too far with that little tidbit of information. But Remus didn't seem to care. He actually smiled and nodded his head.

"Good," he said. "Thanks for getting him off me."

"Actually, I should thank you," said Andromeda. "For coming for me. Merlin knows what would've happened if you didn't—"

"It's not a big deal…"

"Not a big deal?!" Andromeda asked. "So if Hugo raped me, it wouldn't have made a difference? Remus, I owe you so much now…"

Andromeda thought, again, about what she'd just said, and again felt awkward. Basically what she had just said was that she owed her virginity to Remus. She turned a bright pink. She couldn't say anything right, could she?

"Well, just get me that glass of water there, and I'll call it even," said Remus, pointing to a glass of water on the table just beyond his reach. Andromeda helped him to sit up in bed, and she gave him the glass. Remus took a hearty sip and handed the cup to Andromeda to put aside.

"Are they making you stay here tonight?" she asked.

Remus nodded. "Some sprains and strains, but I should be fine for tomorrow. You should really get some sleep yourself," he demanded.

"I still feel like I owe you," muttered Andromeda. Remus smiled.

"No…"

"Yes!" she said. "I'll tell you what, on the first Hogsmeade weekend, I'll buy you a drink at the Three Broomsticks—"

"—um, I really don't think that's a good idea," he warned. Remus knew that the first Hogsmeade weekend fell on a full moon. Just great, the girl he loved was asking him out finally, and his 'hairy little problem' was due to appear that day and night! Wasn't that what life was all about for him?

"I insist!" Andromeda said. "And I WON'T hear another word about it, you understand?" Andromeda said, almost sounding like a stern mother.

Remus decided that it was best not to argue. She nodded at Andromeda, and Andromeda beamed back that beautiful smile that Remus secretly loved so much. Even with the tired eyes and messed thick black hair, Andromeda still managed to look like a goddess in his eyes…

In the next moment of silence, so much was said between Remus and Andromeda's faces. Andromeda felt her spine tingle, and Remus' heart sped up so fast, it hurt to shift around in bed or breathe (and the fact that he had a bruised rib didn't really help his case).

Suddenly, the doors to the hospital opened wide as Bella emerged, dragging Cissy by the wrist. Andromeda's mouth fell open. What the hell was Bella doing here? And dragging Cissy up too? What happened to that detention Andromeda knew that they had? Detention didn't get out until midnight!

"'Dromeda!" Cissy cried. "You okay?"

Andromeda nodded. "Just fine, Cissy." She looked uncomfortably at Remus. Bella never took a liking to Remus because he hung out with Sirius. Now their tender moment was ruined.

"Oh, Andromeda Black! Half the house it talking about you now! A few kids saw what happened and ran back to their houses and told everyone!" Bella said excitedly.

"WHAT? Bella…you didn't…"

"Nope. I swear I've been in detention all night with Cissy!" Bella said. "And may I say, Hugo's sounding pretty damn bad right now. I have no doubt they're gonna expel him. You sound like such a poor little victim!"

"That's not good…"

"Not good? 'Dromeda, do you realize the entire school loves you now, even if only until someone else nearly gets raped?"

"How many times does THAT happen every year?" asked Remus sarcastically. Andromeda bit her lip and rolled her eyes at Remus. Leave it to her sisters…Bella, the born asshole, and Cissy, the born sycophant.

Bella ignored Remus' comment and continued. "By the way, on our way here, we stopped in the Slytherin common room, and Vienne Whats-Her-Face wants you to know that she's going start a petition to get Hugo expelled if Dumbledore doesn't—"

"—Dumbledore WILL see to it that Hugo leaves," assured Remus. Andromeda was so furious she didn't realize Remus had subconsciously slipped his hand over hers.

"And Juno wanted me to give you this…" said Cissy, taking something out of her pocket and tossing it at Andromeda. She picked it up and saw that it was a melted Chocolate Frog box. "Sorry, but I took the card out. I didn't have Morgan Le Fay yet…"

Andromeda sighed and put the gooey box aside. Meanwhile Bella babbled on loudly.

"Oh, you are the newest celebrity, but don't think it will last forever. Pretty soon, everyone will be trying to find out about the Halloween Ball. That is, the boys will all want to ask me out, and the girls will all want to find our WHO is asking me out, of course! I'm thinking of wearing a dress made out of Black Widow's web…what do you think?"

"Bella, maybe Andromeda needs some sleep…"

"And as for my hair, I might zap some color into it…maybe some red highlights or some purple ones…no, green to match the house!"

Andromeda rolled her eyes again at Remus, then gave him a look that said "Sorry for doing this to you…"

Remus groaned, but there was an understanding smile on his face. Andromeda discreetly got up and quickly left Remus alone with the Black sisters in the hospital, chatting away unknowingly as Andromeda closed the big doors behind her to head downstairs and finally get some sleep of her own.

It had been a really long night, and it was only the second night of the school year. Andromeda sighed, thinking of how tired she was, and how she was absolutely sure, that for many nights to come, she would have the exact same feeling every night.


	10. My Octopus is Leaking!

_**A/N: **This is just __a small__ filler. Glad to see the reviews and hits are starting to pick up! _

* * *

Hugo Mince was expelled from Hogwarts very soon after that night without any debate from the professors or students. The Slytherin boy who replaced him as prefect was a boy Andromeda knew Sirius didn't like too much. His black hair was always greasy, and the boy didn't like talking to girls that much. Severus Snape, while an improvement on Hugo as far as manners went, made a quick bore out of prefect duty, as he usually had his nose in a book or was talking to himself half the time. Andromeda admitted that she wished the Slytherins didn't HAVE to patrol with each other. Andromeda lost no matter who she was paired with.

A fortnight went by without much trouble. Andromeda was doing fairly well in her classes, Bella was still whoring around, already asking aloud who she wanted to take to the Halloween Ball. Cissy, admiring her sister and wanting to be asked to the Ball this year, began doing similar things. What was even more surprising was that Cissy had some takers. Two third years and a second year, all from Slytherin House, had asked Cissy to be their date. Bella was giving Cissy a crash-course on dating on the side, and she was helping her sister narrow down her options. Of course, Andromeda knew who she was asking. She was just waiting for the first Hogsmeade weekend, when she and Remus could be alone. Unlike her sisters, Andromeda wanted to be discreet with her date, she wasn't about to become a floozy like Bella.

The Friday before the first Hogsmeade weekend, Andromeda sat with her house and the Gryffindor House in Transfiguration, where McGonangall was ranting about the history of turning animals into household furniture. Each student had a different animal sitting before them in a cage or a water tank, their subjects. Andromeda sat near Remus, Sirius, and Peter (James sat closer to the front…where Lily Evans sat) in the back for the room. This was very good for passing notes around between the four of them. As for the animal assignments, Andromeda had a parakeet sitting in a cage in front of her. Remus had a gopher, Sirius had a scorpion, and Peter had an octopus.

Sirius, sitting nearest Andromeda, slipped her a piece of parchment. Andromeda read it silently:

**So, who are you asking to Ball?**

Andromeda rolled her eyes and scribbled something back.

_None of your business._

Sirius read the note and passed it to Remus. Andromeda blushed, and Sirius winked. Remus read the note and scribbled something back. Sirius read it and passed it on to Andromeda.

Is he in our year?

Andromeda wrote something, and the note-passing train went on, stopping at Remus Station:

_You'll see._

It went on like that for a decent while:

**Why won't you tell us? Is he a ****Slytherin?**

_It's awkward to say it now. I'll tell you on Monday, __Siri._

**It's ****Snivellus Snape****, isn't it?**

_NO!_

You're going to the Ball with Snape? Might as well go with a hinkypunk!

_Remus, I'll tell you tomorrow, I swear. _

Fine. We should pay attention before McGonagall turns us into caterpillars. Throw this away and pay attention!

**Yes, Mu****mmy. Hey…w****hy does he get to know before I do?**

_Stop it, Sirius. _

**Oh….I ****get**** it…****how quaint…**

_What?_

**Remus! ****You're asking Remus**** to the Halloween Ball!**

_Sirius, I'm not saying yes, and I'm not saying no…_

**…but you're DEFINITLEY not saying no!**

_Stop it__, Sirius!_

"Professor?" asked Peter, cutting off their conversation. Andromeda and Sirius both held their breaths. Was he going to betray them to McGonagall?

"Yes, Mr. Pettigrew?" asked McGonagall?

"My octopus is leaking…" he said cautiously. The tank holding the now writhing octopus was spilling water all over the poor students in front of Peter. McGonagall gasped as the students began laughing hysterically, including Remus, Sirius, and Andromeda.

"Class dismissed early on a count of…mad octopus!" declared McGonagall, thrusting out her wand at the maddened creature. Everyone quickly dashed out of the room, happy to have a few hours of free time on a Friday afternoon. Remus and Peter went back to Gryffindor tower to work on homework, but Sirius pulled Andromeda outside into the courtyard and onto the bridge to talk with her privately. For a late September day, the air was rather chilly. Andromeda gasped as she got yanked from the nice warm building to the brisk day, with the wind blowing right in her face.

"You want to ask Moony to the Ball!" Sirius accused, a tone of amusement in his voice. Andromeda gritted her teeth and knitted her eyebrows together.

"Who?" she asked.

"Remus!" Sirius said, forgetting that she wouldn't have known who or what "Moony" was. "You like him!" he said tauntingly.

"Tell him and your blood will spill!" Andromeda threatened. "You won't say a WORD!"

Sirius chuckled. "Fine, I won't say anything."

"To anyone!"

"Fine, to anyone!"

"You won't HINT at it, IMPLY it, WRITE IT OUT, or ACT it out in a game of charades either!" Andromeda ordered.

"Fine, consider me your Secret Keeper!" Sirius said, holding his hands up in surrender. "But, 'Dromeda, I have a question…was it that night with that Hugo jerk that turned you on?"

"Huh?"

"To Moo—Remus?"

"Actually, it was going on before then," Andromeda confessed. "He's such a white soul, he's got no flaws…"

Sirius almost laughed at this. "You'd be surprised, Andromeda."

"Well, then, tell me, mistro. You spend more time with him than I," Andromeda said. "Enlighten me, Master!"

Sirius rolled his eyes and playfully punched Andromeda in the arm. She winced and rubbed the spot where she was hit. "He's just…er…um…"

"Well, as long as he isn't a jackass like Hugo, I think he should be fine. I may not sleep in the same dorm with him like you, but I know him fairly well too!"

Sirius bit his lips. "So…when do you plan on asking him?"

"Tomorrow at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. We have a date there…well, actually…yeah, it's a date," Andromeda decided proudly. This was Sirius she was speaking to, not Bella.

Sirius' expression changed. "Um…" was all he could say.

"If you want to eavesdrop, you'll have to buy your own butterbeer," Andromeda said.

"Nawh, I'm more of a firewhiskey man," Sirius confessed. Andromeda smiled. Sirius sighed to himself. Andromeda looked so happy and excited. He didn't really have the heart to tell Andromeda that Remus was going to be spending Saturday and Sunday recovering from a night of werewolf-ing around. Sirius was going to be able to join him soon, possibly by next month. Sirius was going to be the first to complete his underground Animagus training. James was still having problems with his hooves and antlers, and Peter still couldn't shrink or get his tail to come out the right end.

Andromeda hopped up and kissed her cousin's cheek. "You're awesome!" she declared. Sirius's small smile disappeared as Andromeda ran back down the bridge back to the school.

How was she going to feel tomorrow when Remus doesn't show up, and she thinks she'd been stood up? Sirius shrugged and knew that he'd promised to keep mum about Andromeda's plan. And he was a man of his word, no doubt.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen tomorrow when Andromeda sat alone in the Three Broomsticks, waiting for a lover that wouldn't come to her.


	11. Another Poem For Cissy

"EEEWWWWW! Gah-ROSS!!!!"

Cissy came running towards the Slytherin girls' bathroom at the sound of Juno's trademark shrieks. "What? What is it?" asked Cissy, carrying a towel. She'd just been at her evening flying practice and was sweaty and drenched in the rain that had just begun to fall and, as a result, was planning to shower her worries away. But as soon as she even came close to the bathroom, a horrifying odor hit the air, and Cissy had to take a step back. Juno emerged from the bathroom covered in a brown, sticky goop. Cissy didn't need to ask to know what had happened.

"ANOTHER dungbomb attack?! That's the fifth one in the last week!" Cissy moaned. It might have just been her, but she felt herself get even sweater and grosser.

"Not just one…six of them went off at the same time! The bathroom is COATED! I called Professor Celestia to come and get the mess taken care of," Juno said, wiping the sticky mess out of her hair…which wasn't much good because her hands were covered too with a thick coating of the stuff. "But she's meeting with the other heads right now."

"Damn," muttered Cissy. "I REALLY needed a shower!"

"At least YOUR not Athene Demaris!" said Juno. "She had just taken off her clothes to get into the shower!"

Cissy shuddered. "I'll get my sister—"

"—SHE'S probably the one who set them off! I haven't seen her around in the past few hours!" Juno whined. Cissy frowned.

"NOT Bella, you twit!" she said, exasperated. She then ran down the stairs to her dormitory, where Andromeda sat, blissfully ignorant and combing out her thick dark hair. ""Dromeda!" Cissy whined. Wait…was Andromeda HUMMING to herself?!

"What is it, Cissy?" she asked, her voice wistful and distant.

"There's been ANOTHER dungbomb attack in the girls' bathroom! I need to take a shower NOW!" she whined. Andromeda groaned and turned around in her seat. It couldn't be…she was wearing MAKEUP too?

"If you MUST take a bath, use the bathroom on the third floor…"

"But…but…" Cissy mumbled. Moaning Myrtle, the scary and odd girl from her dream, floated in that bathroom.

"If you want to bathe, then you'll go up there, or else you don't really care if you clean up," Andromeda reasoned.

Cissy groaned. "Okay, thanks, BELLATRIX!" Cissy snapped, stomping out of the room, leaving Andromeda to herself.

* * *

Looking over her shoulder every few minutes for signs of Moaning Myrtle, Cissy undressed herself and stepped into the warm, soothing shower. The water caressed her skin, and the girl sighed in utter relief. Her aching limbs relaxed, and the sweat and smell from the fallout of the dungbomb melted off her body and fell down the drain.

Because no one else was in the bathroom to bug her about how long she'd been in there for, Cissy took advantage of the time to think over her year-long project…the definition of the word 'befiddle.' Cissy had searched every possible book in the library, and nothing. But she DID have several theories in mind:

Theory A: "Befiddle" was a type of Dark Magic spell that was outlawed many years ago, and that was so terrible, no one wanted to speak its name or incantation. Cissy knew this because she'd memorized the poem before Hagrid burned it, and she'd recited it when asking several teachers about the word. As soon as she finished the poem, every teacher she asked gave her the same horrified look and ordered that she never recited that poem again. Ever.

Theory B: A "Befiddle" was an extinct creature living in the Dark Forest, and the reasons for the odd reactions to the poem from everyone were for the reason that A Befiddle Beast was 30 feet tall and ate fully-grown wizards three at a time.

Theory C: "Befiddle" was just a clever way of rhyming with "Riddle."

After ruling Theory C out (Cissy had no idea why a poet would make up a senseless word in order to rhyme with "Riddle"), Cissy felt that the more likely answer was Theory A, for Hagrid's reaction, which had puzzled Cissy more than any of the others' , was just as horrifying, and Hagrid LOVED dangerous animals (other than the pigeon named Georgie, of course). Why would a Befiddle Beast be any different?

Cissy thought that because the weekend was coming up, and her sisters were both going to Hogsmeade in the morning, Cissy might have a chance in the Forbidden Section of the library if she was quiet and careful. She'd have to get up early too, for not many people were in the library willingly before 10 AM. Cissy knew it was her only chance if she ever wanted to discover the meaning of the forbidden word 'befiddle.'

Suddenly, a loud moan startled Cissy. She fell out of the shower stall stark naked, her towel got just as soaked as she was, so it was rendered useless. Just perfect.

A light, airy laugh from across the bathroom brought Cissy to her feet. Cissy saw movement and dove behind a column to cover her nakedness. She saw the source of the noise: none other than the Moaning Myrtle from her dream was sitting on top of the sink area in a causal pose, laughing her ghostly little ass off.

"Moaning Myrtle?"

"Having fun there, Blondie?" asked Myrtle, flying towards Cissy. Cissy faced the column she was hiding behind. Her naked ass showing to the world was better than…the other things she was currently developing. "I don't mean to startle you, but I haven't had a laugh in years!"

"I'm sorry to disturb you…there was a dumgbomb explosion in my—"

"—actually, because you made me laugh so hard, I'm actually going to forgive you and forget about intruding on my turf!" said Myrtle. Cissy was surprised. From what she'd heard from the other girls who'd come into contact with Myrtle, she was a floating permanent case of PMS.

"Um…thank you," Cissy muttered. "Um…I just need to brush my teeth, and I'll leave you alone," she promised. Myrtle nodded, satisfied, and went back to her place on top of the sinks.

Cissy willingly wrapped the drenched towel around her midsection so that she was no longer exposed. She grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and headed over to the nearest possible sink. As she brushed, Cissy noted that the sink she was at was different than the others. This sink's faucet had a small snake on it, winging round upon itself. None of the other surrounding faucets had snakes. She wondered why that was?

Distracted, Cissy dropped her toothbrush. As she bent down to retrieve it, she came upon a small piece of parchment, similar to another piece Cissy was familiar with…

Grabbing it and unfolding it, Cissy read aloud:

_So far __it's__ words you strive to find,_

_And thus already, you've fallen behind._

_For the clock tower counts down the months and years,_

_'Til__ purebloods will be rid of all their fears._

_(Not that they had any at all)_

_Yet your efforts so far seem very small._

_Our hero needs friends, and you could be one,_

_For your heritage is true, rare under this sun._

_If you want this puzzle to become whole soon,_

_Look under His bed at Christmas Eve noon…_

Moaning Myrtle sighed. "That's nice writing, but the syllables don't match up," she criticized.

Cissy was beaming. It was the same poet as before! Another note for her! Cissy read it over again twice. "Myrtle?" she asked.

"Yes?" asked Myrtle, stooping to look over Cissy's shoulder at the poem.

"What do you suppose this poem…MEANS?" she asked.

"Hm…." Myrtle thought a moment. "Whoever wrote this wants you to look under his bed at noon on Christmas eve," she concluded. Cissy rolled her eyes.

"Well…yes, but what ELSE? Anything ELSE?" asked Cissy longingly. Myrtle suddenly growled at Cissy, making her fall back on her behind.

"WHY'D YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT??" Myrtle howled. Cissy screamed and stumbled to her feet.

"I'm sorry—" Cissy stuttered, terrified

"GET OUT OF HERE!!" Myrtle wailed. Cissy scrambled to get her things before dashing out of the bathroom and running with all her soaking-wet strength back to the Slytherin House at light-speed.

Once back in her dormitory room, Cissy slammed the door shut and fell to the floor, heaving for breath (she was never one to be in tip-top physical shape). Then, making sure no one else was in the room, she locked herself in and unfolded the soaked piece of parchment containing the new clue.

_If you want this puzzle to become whole soon,_

_Look under His bed at Christmas Eve noon…_

Cissy thought for nearly an hour about this. Maybe 'befiddle' WASN'T such an important word after all? Maybe Cissy's 'task' was instead to find out who wrote these poems to her! Whoever it was, she had to find his bed by Christmas Eve noon and look under it for the n ext piece of the puzzle.

But…was this guy (or girl) a Slytherin? If not, how could she possibly sneak into the other three houses to find the poet's bed? How would she know which bed was the writer's bed…she didn't even know his (or her) name! Even if he (or she) WAS a Slytherin, this house was the second most populated house next to Hufflepuff in the school! And sneaking into a boy's dorm room wasn't exactly going to be easy in itself…it was a good thing she was given a considerable amount of time to think this one over. She had until noon on Christmas eve.

But for now, Cissy decided an early turn-in to her own cozy bed would be a nice idea.


	12. The Story of Ted Tonks

The next morning, Andromeda got up bright and early to pick out the best outfit for her date at The Three Broomsticks with Remus. She must have gone through her entire closet at least twice before settling on a light purple knee-length skirt with a black tank-top. It showed off her curvy figure and her (still developing) breasts. Andromeda really hoped that she'd get bigger in the chest soon, as she was still only a B. As for shoes, Andromeda chose simple black flats. She did her hair in a half-twist at the nape of her neck. Altogether, Andromeda felt that she looked sexy, but not like slutty Bella.

Andromeda waited for the groups to be called so that they could head down to Hogsmeade. The students were grouped and walked down as such, just so that no one got lost on the way. Andromeda's group didn't have anyone in it she knew, but all the other kids seemed to know EXACTLY who she was. As a descendent of the famous House of Black, Andromeda had gotten used to all the rumors and other various 'gossipy' things going on about her and her sisters behind her back.

The road to Hogsmeade was one of Andromeda's favorite paths to walk. It was long, and many kids complained about its length. But the path went through a small grove of assorted trees, and emerged on the other side directly facing the hills that turned purple, pink (her favorite color), and orange when the 10AM sun hit them. Andromeda wished Remus was in her little traveling group. Andromeda closed her eyes as she walked the path, imagining a time ten or so years from now…Remus walking alongside her, his hand in hers with their fingers intertwined, Andromeda's free hand placed gently over her pregnant belly, breathing in the soft, cool autumn air, the glistening of her golden wedding ring when the sun rays bounced off it…

Suddenly, Andromeda tumbled over a branch she'd missed in the middle of the path as she was in her trance. She fell flat on her face in the rocky road with a yelp. Groaning as she heard laughter, Andromeda felt a small, warm trickle run down her left cheek. Her finger flew to her eyebrow. There was a small, bleeding cut right above her left eyebrow. Andromeda winced…it hurt pretty badly. Not to mention the laughing witnesses didn't make her face any less red. Her other hand flew to her mouth…at least none of her teeth were knocked out in the process.

Andromeda felt a soft, warm hand grab her elbow and help her to her feet. "Remus…?" she muttered, turning around. But the face, vaguely familiar, wasn't that of Remus Lupin.

"Andromeda, are you alright?" asked the face.

"Ted Tonks," Andromeda identified. "Thank you…"

"No problem," said Ted. Andromeda looked around for signs of that snippy Viola. None were found. Ted seemed to be able to read her body language. "She decided to skip today and sleep in."

"Ah," said Andromeda. She began walking alongside Ted towards the village, now visible a few more kilometers down the road. "Any specific business in Hogsmeade?"

"I was planning to stop in the bookstore, and then Honeydukes, most likely. I've had a taste for Drooble's lately, yet my parents, of course, wouldn't know what Drooble's is, so they more than likely wouldn't sent it to me, let alone by overnight owl."

Andromeda smiled. A Muggle-born. Bella would already be redder than a steamed beet.

"And you?" asked Ted. Andromeda blushed and looked down at the path.

"I'm meeting a man at the Three Broomsticks. I'm going to confess my feelings for him today," she said.

"That's brave," said Ted, nodding with a smile. "Why aren't you in Gryffindor?"

"I wish I knew," Andromeda muttered to herself.

"But I'm sure Remus would be more than happy when he hears—"

"—WHAT?!" Andromeda suddenly shrieked, stopping in her tracks and grabbing Ted's shoulders. "How did you…who told…SIRIUS….I will eat his spleen as a midnight snack!!!" Andromeda growled angry.

Ted laughed. "No one told me anything. But I'm right, aren't I?"

"Guilty as charged," Andromeda confessed, letting go of Ted. "How did you find out?"

"I guessed totally on my own," said Ted. "After what happened the first night of prefect duty, I figured that if Remus was your night-in-shining-armor that night, I figured it could be no one else."

"Damn, you're a smart one," Andromeda muttered. Ted blushed at the compliment. The pair began walking down the path again. "Have you seen him? I didn't see him when McGonagall was grouping us this morning…?"

"No, I haven't," admitted Ted. "But while you wait for him, would you like to accompany me to the bookstore and help me look for a book the library didn't have?"

Andromeda smiled pleasantly. "I would be more than happy to!"

* * *

Ted Tonks wasn't exactly a brainiac, but Andromeda noted that he did have a lot of interest in books and authors. The bookstore was almost deserted when the pair walked in. Andromeda decided to 'be into' dragons, because that was the section closest to the window that overlooked Zonko's, where she knew she'd see Remus when he arrived. Until then, she decided to just be patient. No sense in rushing him down. Actually, it gave Andromeda more prep time to get her thoughts together. She already had planned out the exact way she was going to tell him…

_"Remus, you are a kind, gentle man. Ever since I met you, I've felt this thing between us, and damn it if you don't feel the same. But the thing is, Remus, I think I __lov__—"_

"Ugh!" spat Ted, taking a book off the self written by a man named Gilderoy Lockhart. "This man's a faker. A pretty face with a blank head."

"How do you know?" asked Andromeda. "Have you ever met him?"

"Oh come ON, Andromeda, he talks for pages about how he was mastering full-animal Patronuses and doing wandless magic by age TEN!"

"I can barely produce an animal in DADA!" Andromeda sighed. "I must be REALLY far behind!"

"No way. Like I said, he's a phony. What's your animal?" asked Ted.

"I think it's a cow…but I could only see it for a few seconds before it disappeared." said Andromeda. Ted nodded.

"Celestia's pleased with me, I've produces a full animal for three whole minutes. I've got a salmon for my Patronus," said Ted. Andromeda smirked.

"Well, maybe if Cissy's got a chicken Patronus, we could open up a butcher shop!"

Ted laughed heartily at this. "So, where's Remus?"

Andromeda's eyes shot to the clock. It was already mid-afternoon.

"Oh crap!" Andromeda said. "I bet he's been waiting for me in the Three Broomsticks for hours!" Andromeda shot out the door, Ted following her. When she literally stumbled into the pub, Andromeda looked around…no one was there.

"Damn it, he left!" she whined. Ted shook his head.

"No, he hasn't been by yet," said Ted. "Look, the place is abandoned!"

"Madam Rosemerta!" called Andromeda. The woman behind the counter looked up and smiled.

"What can I get you?" she asked. Andromeda.

"Has there been anyone in here by the name of—"

"—there's been no one here all day!" said Rosemerta. "Damn that Honeydukes, kids don't want butterbeer anymore, they want sugar! Rotten teeth over a rotten brain!"

"Thanks," said Andromeda.

"Wait!" said Madam Rosemerta. "You don't want a drink?"

"Two butterbeers," ordered Ted, laying 6 galleons on the table. Rosemerta smiled and quickly got the bottles. Andromeda looked at Ted and shook her head.

"I'm not thirsty…"

"I insist," said Ted. "And don't even think about hunting me down just to pay me back three galleons," he continued. Andromeda decided to go along (free butterbeer). Ted indicated a table for two by a window, and the pair sat down to rest and drink. "I hope he shows up," Ted wished.

"Thank you," Andromeda said. "He's not the kind to stand me up," she insisted.

"He does seem like a nice boy…" said Ted. Andromeda wanted to talk more to pass time until Remus arrived, so she thought of another ice breaker…

"So, you're a Muggle-born, how did you parents find out and react?" asked Andromeda.

Ted smiled, glad the subject was turned on him. "Well, you see, ever since I was a baby, strange things happened around me. My mum said that once, I cried very hard, and the entire street's power went off for a week! I still remember the morning I got my letter," Ted said fondly. "I was whining because I didn't want to go to Smeltings, and I went up to my room to have afit, when a little snow owl tapped at my window. I let it in, and it dropped a letter in my lap. Imagine when I read it! I thought it was a cruel joke!"

"What did your mum and dad think?"

"They thought it was a sad attempt as convincing them that I belonged elsewhere and ignored it. Then, one night, Hagrid showed up at my door! My parents were frightened mad! But, there were conviced and sent mew off to Hogwarts with their blessing."

"That's nice…"

"…and it got me out of Smeltings!" Ted said proudly.

"Do you have any sisters or brothers?"

"I have a Muggle half-brother named Samuel, but he doesn't know about me. Dumbledore told my parents to keep the wizarding world hush-hush in front of him."

Andromeda nodded. "What's the Muggle world like?" she asked. Ted gave her an odd look. "I'm a pure-blood. My mother's fanatic about not letting my edication be tainted with extended stay in the Muggle world."

Ted nodded, uncomfortable.

"But I'M not like her!" Andromeda insisted. "I swear!"

Ted sighed. "The Muggle world is so much more pessimistic. I feel like whenever I step off of Platform 9-3/4 , I'm going from a Technicolor world to a black-and-white silent film."

"Technicolor?" asked Andromeda.

"I'll explain later," said Ted. "Anyway, the Muggles always start wars for no reason, you know, oil, world peace, conquering nations. People don't like each other. They'll say hello to you, and then you turn your back and they're whispering bad things about you! It's horrible!"

"It does sound awful," said Andromeda. She leaned in a little bit to listen to more of Ted's tales of the Muggle World…


	13. The Best Hangover Ever

Another two hours went by at the Three Broomsticks, and it was almost curfew time (a Hogwarts rule was that all but seventh year students had to be back on campus by supper time). Andromeda had downed a few more butterbeers and a firewhiskey Ted bought for her, and she was absolutely trashed. Not to mention, complete pissed that Remus had never showed up. The both combined proved to be a deadly and humiliating combination.

"Ya know what?" Andromeda asked, barely able to speak. Ted bit his lip.

"What?" he asked cautiously.

"I bet Remus is off with a girl…I bet she's a pretty and skinny blondie from Gryffindor who's breasts are double the size of Bella's…and I bet she's sleeping with him…in HIS bed…" Andromeda muttered, confused and wasted beyond all logical thinking.

Ted shook his head. "No way. I'd sleep around like that before Remus Lupin would," Ted replied.

"Then WHY isn't he here?" asked Andromeda, pounding her fist on the table. "My heart broke now…MADAM ROSEMERTA?! ANOTHER FIREWHISKEY ON THE ROCKS!"

"I'm out of money, Andromeda," said Ted. That was, of course, not true, but any more drinks in her blood and Andromeda would be in a coma. He needed to be responsible for her, or else he'd have to tug her all the way up the hill himself…

"I'm gonna have to cut you off anyways," said Rosemerta. "I could get in trouble selling firewhiskey to an underaged witch…let alone letting one get drunk off her ass in my pub."

"Nooo! It hurts too much! Remus doesn't looove me!" howled Andromeda. Ted groaned and looked up the hill leading back to school. The slightly waning moon was making the hill look THAT much steeper and THAT much further away. He couldn't drag Andromeda up that huge hill. Not in a hundred years.

"Madam Rosemerta? Would you mind side-by-side Apparating us to the gates of school?" asked Ted. Rosemerta looked at Andromeda, who was now trying to place three spoons on her nose and nodded quickly.

"Sure, son. Come on, curfew begins in a few minutes…and do me a favor."

"Anything."

"Don't bring her in here if she ever gets a divorce."

* * *

After Madam Rosemerta got Andromeda and Ted to the gates of Hogwarts, Ted led Andromeda inside. The girl was staggering and hiccupping like a buffoon. It was a good thing all the first and second years had evening classes in the towers.

"Ted? I…I…" Andromeda began, but before she could finish, Remus Lupin came walking down the hallway, fresh cuts on his face, and limping on his left leg. He looked much worse for the wear. Seeing Andromeda suddenly made his heart pang. She thought he'd stood her up…and she obviously wasn't too happy about it. Ted looked at Remus and held his breath. Remus widened his eyes.

"She missed seeing you, and I bought her a drink at the pub…and then…well…she's drunk," explained Ted. Remus ran over to Andromeda. But Andromeda hissed like a snake when she saw him coming at her.

"YOU! Stay AWAY from me!" Andromeda cried out. Remus turned to Ted.

"Get Sirius. He's in the Gryffindor common room, and the password is 'Nocturnal Owlery.'" Ted nodded and sped off, leaving Andromeda alone with Remus. "'Dromeda, I'm here!"

"FUCK YOU! You bastard!" Andromeda muttered. Remus didn't flinch or get offended. After all, the woman was completely wasted. "You left me at the Hogsmeade place with Ted! He reads, Remus! He reads a LOT!"

"Andromeda, we need to get you to bed, you've got too much beer in your belly…come on, I'll help—"

"NO!" Andromeda snapped, breaking free of Remus' helping hand and turning to face him. "Leave me alone! You don't care about me! Why didn't you meet me today?"

"If I could tell you, I would in a heartbeat, really," Remus begged.

"Nope! I KNOW why, it's because you love someone else and you didn't care that another girl was waiting for you to reveal her innermost secret to you! Loser!" Andromeda moaned. Remus stood his ground.

"Let me help you to bed!" he pleaded. "Come on, 'Dromeda!"

"**AN**dromeda, you lying shit-nosed bastard! I hate you and what you did to me!" Andromeda cried.

"I understand perfectly, actually," said Remus. "I would hate me too…Merlin, where is Ted and Sirius?" Remus muttered to himself. Andromeda would no doubt pass out soon. She suddenly looked Remus square in the eye with her dilated pupils. She leaned in very close to him, as if she were about to kiss him…

"Remus Lupin, I fucking love you, but now I think I changed my mind!" Andromeda said.

Then she blacked out. Falling backward, Remus had to dash behind her to catch her before she hit the stone floor. Heaving the girl up in his arms, he decided to make a run for the Slytherin common room with her. The hospital was on the other end of the castle and up far too many stairs. Not to mention, turning her in to Madam Pomfrey would get her into trouble: an underaged witch drunk and in her state of mind.

Remus nearly fell down the stairs with Andromeda in arm. He arrived at the entrance, lucky enough to find two first year Slytherin boys just going through the door. Remus ran past them before they could protest and headed for what he thought would be Andromeda's room.

The two boys called after him:

"Hey! He's a Gryffindor!"

"What's wrong with her?"

"It's okay, he's a prefect!"

Remus met Andromeda's friend, Vienne, on the stairs. Vienne gasped.

"What eez eet?" she asked.

"Andromeda's sick. Where's your room?"

Vienne pointed left. "Up zee stairs all zee way and to zee right, four doors down," Vienne directed. Remus followed the directions and burst into the room, which was empty. Remus gently laid Andromeda down on her bed and snatched an extra afghan off of Vienne's bed, laying it over Andromeda and tucking it around her shoulders. Andromeda was sweating and shaking. Remus ran a cool hand across her hot forehead in an attempt to calm her down. He then tried to get water in her, but she wouldn't respond. Man, tomorrow morning would no doubt bring one hell of a hangover for her.

Now, he knew one person who could help her there. He was a whiz at Potions. But Remus (nor Sirius, who wouldn't have this boy go within a mile of his favorite cousin in her present condition) didn't like this person much. To ask his help would all but betray the Marauders' Pact.

But for Andromeda, Remus would've sold his very soul at that moment to make her more comfortable.

* * *

Andromeda couldn't move. She woke up to a dark room…her room, forgetting completely about everything that happened yesterday. She smelled something that smelled like rotten food and dead skunk…it was disgusting. Turning her head only slightly, Andromeda looked down towards the source of the stench. It was new Slytherin prefect Severus Snape. He was stirring something in a small cauldron. The cauldron smoked.

"Oh, I see Little Miss Butterbeer is awake…" muttered Snape. "The potion is almost ready, so hold your hangover…"

"Huh? Potion? Wha—and not so looouuuuuud!" Andromeda wailed pathetically.

"The Drinkhead Potion…it cures hangovers. Oh, and just clueing you in, I'm not doing this for you. Your loverboy paid me twenty galleons to make this for you."

"Who? Who the hell paid twenty galleons so I wouldn't be hungover? My loverboy?" asked Andromeda. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Don't know why the bloke was so nice to you. You curse him out so badly last night that my own ears hurt afterwards," Snape muttered. "Another pinch of dragonfly wing…and when it turns blue it's set…" he muttered directions to himself.

"Wait…WHO?" asked Andromeda again, trying to sit up, but failing miserably because her head roared. She had a fever too.

"Lupin," said Snape. "He's dropping by before noon to check up on you. Sappy fairyboy, if you ask me."

"Remus paid you to help me…twenty gall—wait, I did WHAT to him?" asked Andromeda, staring at the ceiling because that was the position that made her eyes hurt the least.

"You called him some pretty dark names after he stood you up at Hogsmeade yesterday. Some stupid Hufflepuff boy got you drunk and Remus didn't want you getting caught by Dumbledore."

It was all coming back to her. Andromeda's feeling went from pissed, to silly, to embarrassed, to regretful, to downright confused all within a second. Snape sighed satisfactorily as he cupped the now sky-blue potion into a mug and handed it to Andromeda. "Drink it," Snape ordered. "It doesn't taste as bad as it smells."

Andromeda took a small, cautious sip. The warm, sweet liquid flowed down her throat like a calm, soothing river of relief. As she drank more deeply, the hangover and fever raging through her body faded to nothing, and Andromeda was again as fit as a fiddle. When the potion was gone, so was the hangover. Snape began cleaning up his potions set, but not before grabbing a package from Andromeda's bedside table and tossing it lightly at her chest. She caught it and opened it.

"He brought you that this morning while you still slept."

"It's a bar of Honeyduke's Best Chocolate," Andromeda said. "With a note…"

_Andromeda,_

_I will be coming back after __Snivellus__ leaves. We need to talk about yesterday._

_Remus._

_PS: Eat this, it will help. It always does. _

Andromeda took a bite of the chocolate. Man, that was one thing Remus knew what he was talking about. The chocolate made her feel even better.

"Chocolate? The boy gave you a candy bar? I think he's addicted to that stuff. Maybe, if he's lucky there's a support group for chocoholics…" Snape said, his potions set in hand, heading towards the door.

"Thank you, Severus."

Snape ignored Andromeda and headed downstairs. Andromeda fell back on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. Exactly WHAT had she said to Remus last night that was so horrible? And…why did he pay Snape, who hated Remus and everything to do with Remus and his friends, to make a potion hat would cure her hangover sickness?

Suddenly, a sentence echoed through Andromeda's ear…

_"Remus Lupin, I fucking love you, but now I think I changed my mind!"_

Andromeda wanted to die. She turned red from embarrassment. And, of course, that was when Remus walked in.

"Andromeda? If you're okay, do you mind if we talked?"

Andromeda nodded silently, indicating the edge of her bed. Remus took and seat and sighed.

"Listen, about yesterday…"

"Remus, I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean a word I said last night! Please forgive me…"

Remus held up a hand. "Oh Merlin, no need to apologize. Getting too much drink in your belly can make you say a lot of things you never meant to say," he said. Andromeda smiled, relieved. He was such an understanding man. Remus looked at the half-eaten candy bar on the bed beside her.

"You'll need to finish that, because I have a feeling if you don't, your sister Narcissa will."

"I don't care. Remus, I still feel bad about yesterday," Andromeda sighed. Remus thought a moment and smiled, suddenly thinking of a way to have them both win.

"How about you make it up to me by letting me be your escort to the Halloween Ball?" he asked. Andromeda smiled widely.

"That sounds perfect," she said. Remus smiled back, which sent pleasant chills down Andromeda's spine. She felt hot and dizzy again. This was the best hangover ever.


	14. Bella's New Suitor

_Another quick filler chapter that's barely 1000 words. Enjoy + Review anyways!_

* * *

As she headed up the winding stairwell to the Owlery, Bella could hardly believe what she was reading.

_Bellatrix,_

_The __Malfoys__ visited here this past weekend, and __Lucius__ is still interested in marrying you, despite your 'escapades' at __Hogswarts__. And on my life, Bella, you would be wise to accept as soon as you graduate in the spring. __Lucius__ is a rich man with good blood and good looks, any one of the few pureblooded girls left in England __would kill to have him as their husband. __But the reason he's choosing YOU over someone like Molly __Prewett__ is beyond me. You need to get your act together unless you want to die a prostitute…you're already halfway there, Bella.__ And I WANT __Lucius__Malfoy__ as my son-in-law._

_Give my love to __Dromeda__ and Cissy._

_Mumsie__ Black_

How could the women who gave birth to her be such an insensitive bitch? Bella, now arriving in the Owl tower, signaled to her owl, a horned owl named Lucifer. Bella whipped out a piece of parchment and a quill and began jotting down a retaliation letter.

_Darling __Mumsie_

_I am 17 years old and a woman, however single. I feel I have the brains to choose a proper husband myself. __Lucius __Malfoy__, rich and smart as he is, is a stuck-up __git__ who looks like he __is always smelling__ some rancid odor. As rich and pure-blooded as he may be, I'm afraid our ideas of 'handsome'__ are two different ideas. If you WANT him as your dear son-in-law, w__hy don'__t you peddle him __o__n__ Andromeda? She's currently chasing…believe it or not…Remus Lupin from Gryffindor, and from what it appears, Remus is chasing her right back. __So maybe peddling __Lucius__ on her would benefit her a lot more than it will benefit me.__ Because I swear on our grandfather's grave that I will not be moved from my current stance. There are other rich, pureblooded young men out there, we just need to learn to screw the __Malfoys__ and find them ourselves._

_Oh, and if you try forcing __Lucius __Malfoy__ on me again, I'll marry a __mudblood__ just to spite you. And don't think I won't do it, mum._

_Your Bella_

Bella quickly addressed the letter and sent Lucifer off to her mother with it. Smiling satisfactorily, Bella flipped off the bird as it flew westbound. That would teach her to call her eldest daughter a hooker!

Watching the owl disappear lover the horizon, Bella didn't notice the other visitor now coming into the Owlery. He whistled for his own owl to come to him. The sudden noise startled Bella, and she screamed and spun on her heel. The boy who'd just come into the room was one she hadn't really seen before. He was a Slytherin too, but a year below her in sixth year.

Bella immediately noticed his charming eyes and cunning smile. She looked up and down the new arrival with a stone-faced expression. "Do I know you?" she asked.

"Nope," said the young man with dark hair and a handsome face. "Don't suppose you do."

Bella waited for him to continue. "You got a name or what, stranger?" she asked, a smile beginning to curl on her lips. The boy petted his snow owl and smacked his lips together, which Bella found downright sexy.

"Yeah, I do," said the handsome boy, wittingly forgetting to reveal what it was. He was smiling too, his teeth were in perfect alignment.

"Do you mind telling me what it is, stranger?" she asked. The boy nodded.

"I suppose so…Rodolphus. Rodolphus Lestrange." Bella's smile grew wider.

"You're a pureblood. Your used to go to--"

"—Durmstrang, yeah, yeah, so I've heard," Rodolphus moaned, evidently not too pleased with the fact for some reason. "And who might you be?" asked he, a flirtageous wink of his eye punctuating the question.

"Bellatrix Black," she answered. Rodolphus' eyes widened as he let his owl go and got down on one knee. "Um…what the hell are you doing?" she asked.

"Only showing respect for an angel from the House of Black! Never have I been in such noble company!" he said. Bella couldn't help but giggle sheepishly.

"Oh, come on, the House of Black isn't THAT great!" she said, blushing. Rodolphus stood up again, his already radiant smile ever expanding.

"Are you kidding? The Blacks are legends!" said an awed Rodolphus. "One of the oldest pureblood families in history!"

Bella giggled again.

"Why would someone as gorgeous and as high-ranking as you be up here in the Owlery?" Rodolphus asked. Bella rolled her eyes.

"If you MUST know," she said, her voice becoming less girly and more serious. "My mother's trying to force a wedding on me and I'm not buying into it."

"Arranged marriage? With whom?" asked Rodolphus, again summoning his owl.

"Lucius Malfoy."

Rodolphus bit his lip and looked down, as if he knew he was no match for Malfoy. "A wonderful man, a rich one," he muttered.

"The man would sooner marry a mirror than a girl," Bella hissed. "I won't let the wedding take place. Ever. My sisters can have him for all I care."

"You're so much like your last name: brave, bold, and independent," said Rodolphus. Bella sighed.

"You…Rodolphus…"

" Call me Rod, and yes?"

Bella licked her lips. "So...you like firewhiskey?"

* * *

Cissy, determined to find out any clues to where the mysterious poet's bed could be in time for the holidays…went over the second poem, and then the first poem in her head over and over, thinking of hints for where the next poem will appear.

The poet certainly seemed to favor purebloods. He must have been a Slytherin.

The poet also seemed to talk in riddles…wasn't that why Cissy had spent nearly a month looking for the definition of 'befiddle?'

The poet also talked of an orphan who would rule all. Cissy had thought that this clue was, perhaps, the best one. So, on an extremely bold whim, she'd enlisted Juno's help to sneak into the file room to see how many orphaned pure-blood Slytherins there had been in the last century or so.

There had not been one. But just before giving in, Juno had found a file that was thick and torn. It was from at least the 1930s, if not further back.

"Here's a half-blood orphan," said Juno.

"I think this poet's a pure blood," said Cissy.

"He's an orphaned Slytherin, the only one we found," said Juno. "And it DOES say that he was bigoted in favor of purebloods that's something…"

"What's the name?" asked Cissy.

"Tom Malvolo Riddle…" she'd read.

"RIDDLE?!" Cissy shrieked. A major discovery!

"SH!" Juno hushed, but it was too late.

"What's going on? Who's in here?" asked a scratchy male voice. A meowing followed close behind.

"It's Filch, run for it!" Cissy cried quietly, she and Juno leaving the files and mess and running out the back way before they could be caught.


	15. The Halloween Ball: Part I

_**A/N: **Again, the reviews and hits are lagging! I need the motivation to go on, ppl, and the reviews are it! PLZ? I swear it's getting better!_

* * *

The Halloween Ball crept up on the students of Hogwarts much faster than any of them realized. The Halloween Ball at Hogwarts was a fun tradition, where students dressed in costumes and had what McGonagall called "well-mannered frivolity." Everyone, even the screw-offs like Bella, went to the Halloween Ball, and the Professors gave the students the day of the Ball off of classes so they could buy/work on their costumes. The three Black sisters had spent the day of the event in Andromeda's room getting their costumes together and showing them off to their friends. Cissy, who was going with a 3rd year from Ravenclaw, was using one of Bella's old dresses to be a veela. Bella had spent her free time making a wig that looked like snakes and was intending on going as Medusa. Andromeda and Remus had discussed that, because they were going as a couple, they should have coordinating costumes. They'd eventually decided on Osiris and Isis, the king and queen of the Egyptian mythological gods. Andromeda, wanting to look her absolute best for Remus, had spent all morning sewing peacock feathers onto her deep blue sparking gown. Bella, wearing her snake-wig, sat on Vienne's bed, while Vienne worked on her hair (she was going as a mermaid). Cissy, who had been sick last year and had to skip the Ball, was having a blast just getting ready for it. 

"Oh, Dromeda, you're going to be so pretty!" Cissy moaned. "I'm just going to be plain next to you!"

"Don't say that, Cissy," Andromeda said. "I could make your hair silver if you want to stand out more."

"Oh, could you?" asked Cissy excited. Andromeda nodded and motioned for her to turn around. Cissy obeyed excitedly. Andromeda pointed her wand and muttered an incantation in her head. Cissy's blonde hair suddenly began glowing as it turned to a bright metallic silver. Bella squinted her eyes.

"Andromeda, no one will be able to see her if she BLINDS them!" she scorned.

"You think I did too much, Vienne?" asked Andromeda. Vienne turned around and shook her head.

"No!" she said. "You do look like a veela now," she smiled. Cissy beamed and whirled around in her light pink toga/dress. "I feel like a goddess! But Andromeda's still gonna make us all look like hags!"

Andromeda blushed. "I bet Remus will look just as handsome!"

"You know, Andromeda, Remus Lupin's not an attractive man. Mum would have a coronary if she found out that you're not going with Frank Longbottom to the ball!"

"And she'd have a cow knowing you weren't going with Lucius! You're going with some rough-and-tough Durmstrang reject!" she taunted.

Bella didn't add anything. Rodolphus Lestrange was going with a Hufflepuff girl. So Bella had basically chosen the next handsome pureblood boy she could find. "Lucius doesn't go here anymore," Bella finally said.

"Remus Lupin has so much more than looks," Andromeda mused. "He's such a gentleman. Screw the scars on his face! I mean, I cursed the man out when I was drunk, and yet he tucked me into bed and paid Severus Snape 20 galleons to make sure I felt better!"

"Maybe he just wants to get in your robes," Bella scoffed. Andromeda growled and suddenly hurled a pillow at Bella.

"Remus would NEVER try and do that to me!" Andromeda screamed. "He'd NEVER try to have sex with me so soon! Never, never, never!" she yelled like a little girl.

"Fine, alright!" Bella insisted. "If you insist he be a prude, then fine, Remus is a prude! I still think he's gay."

Andromeda pouted her lips and growled like a wolf. Bella sighed and adjusted the wig on her forehead. Cissy looked at herself in a full-length mirror and groaned.

"Bella! I'm too plain!" Cissy said. "I need a tiara!"

"Veelas don't wear tiaras, you twit! They have wings!" said Bella.

"Why don't I have wings, then?" she asked.

"Because we're too lazy to make one for you," Bella replied. Cissy pouted. Andromeda squinted at Bella.

"WHAT is your problem tonight, you bitch?" asked Andromeda. "Just because you're LUCKY that you're not already knocked up—"

"—I'm not going to put up with this!" Bella said, getting up and storming out of the room. Andromeda looked at Vienne, who snickered.

"Honestly, the woman needs to slow down with zee boys. You vere right. She might end up pregnant…"

"I wouldn't put it past her. She's insane. She thinks she's invincible," Andromeda noted. "I bet one day her downfall will be her thinking that she is invincible and she gets careless, and the last person on earth she'd expect to kill her does."

"Don't say zat! She eez your sister anyway!" Vienne said, tsking. Suddenly, Gaia appeared in the doorway.

"Have any of you seen Juno?" she asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Oh, and Andromeda, Remus is here for you."

"So SOON?" Andromeda moaned.

"He said that the prefects need to be in the ballroom early," Gaia informed before leaving. Andromeda shot up and gasped, struggling to slip on her dress. Cissy helped her get her peacock-feather wings on and to quickly do up her hair. Andromeda then places a gold headdress over her dark hair and sighed. She wouldn't have time for makeup, but it would have to do.

Andromeda dashed upstairs to meet Remus in the common room. When she appeared in the doorway, she couldn't help but gasp at the sight of Remus. He wore a golden robe that sparkled in the waning sunlight. His hair had been nicely done, and he looked incredibly handsome. Remus seemed to be taken aback with Andromeda's costume.

"You look…"

"…like Isis!" Andromeda said, smiling. "And am I to assume that you are my Osiris?"

Remus grinned widely. Andromeda never noticed this before…but his teeth were slightly crooked and pointed…almost like a wolf's or a dog's. "I hope so," Remus said, holding out his arm.

Andromeda took it and Remus led them out of the Slytherin common room and down to the Great Hall. Andromeda smiled at the familiar, yet still exciting sight before her. The dance floor was crystal clear, on one side was a huge buffet table with mountains of candy and special treats, the other side with rounded tables where those not dancing could sit and eat. Dumbledore even enchanted it so that a grand staircase led down into the Great Hall, whereas normally, the entrance was flat. Dumbledore looked up as Remus and Andromeda descended into the ballroom.

"The last of the prefects are here!" he said, grinning, dressed evidently as an anthropomorphic version of a phoenix. Andromeda had to stifle a laugh, seeing Dumbledore's costume. Dumbledore wasn't offended, but rather seemed pleased.

Andromeda found the other prefects standing with their dates on the other side of the staircase (except Snape, who apparently was alone tonight). Viola and Ted, dressed as King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, had two opposite expressions as Remus and Andromeda came in. Ted looked happily awed at Andromeda's exquisite costume. Viola looked ready to rip off her peacock-feather wings and eat them.

Right about then, it felt good to be Andromeda Black.

* * *

The ballroom was quickly crowded with students. For awhile, there was no music, and just eating. That is, it was until McGonagall silenced everyone to make an announcement.

"We shall have our first dance…may all the prefects and their escorts step forward?"

Remus stood up and extended his hand to Andromeda in a formal (yet whimsical) beckoning for her to come dance with him. Andromeda grinned and accepted. Viola and Ted came out next, arm in arm, Viola seeming dragging Ted. Ophelia Elsinore from Ravenclaw came out next, evidently with Arthur Weasley as her date. Snape, who came alone, did not come out onto the floor. Professor Flitwick struck up the band. Andromeda felt herself sweat just a bit, she couldn't dance!

Evidently, neither could Remus. They kept stepping over each other's feet as the waltz began. Neither could suppress their laughs. Meanwhile, Viola Illyria was trying to show off, trying to make Ted Tonks lift her in the air. Ted wasn't exactly a fit young man himself, and he could barely get Viola's feet off the ground. Viola slapped him on the shoulder, demanding him to continue.

Halfway through the song, Remus and Andromeda forgot all about the formal steps and just skipped around the floor like fools. Fools having fun, at least. Suddenly, the clumsy Ted Tonks crashed into Remus while trying another one of Viola's lifts. In turn, Andromeda fell to the floor, Viola on top of her. The whole school roared with laughter as the tangled mess of prefects got to their feet. Remus and Andromeda took a dramatic, exaggerated bow, making the students cheer. Meanwhile, Viola couldn't take the embarrassment, and grabbed Ted by the wrist and dragged him to a table.

That was when Flitwick stopped the waltz and let the modern act take over. This was when everyone got to their feet and began disco dancing. Remus and Andromeda danced for awhile, although Remus had to teach her how to do disco because, while he was raised by a Muggle mother, Andromeda's pure-blood obsessed household never let her go near disco. Andromeda, having a blast, picked up rather quickly, evidently liking disco more than the waltz…after all, it was less painful.

After about an hour, Remus took Andromeda's hand in his and whispered. "Would you like to accompany me to the bridge?" he asked.

Andromeda smiled and nodded, feeling her heart skip a beat as Remus led her outside.


	16. The Halloween Ball: Part II

The Halloween night air was crisp and cold. Andromeda's teeth chattered as soon as she and Remus stepped outside. Remus almost immediately took off his cloak and wrapped it around Andromeda' shoulders. That was when she felt a new chill.

The ¾-full moon hung over the clear air, illuminating the small puffs of breath the couple mad every other second, Remus' slightly larger than Andromeda's. Andromeda kept her left hand at her side, hoping Remus would take it as they stepped onto the bridge, which was completely deserted. Good. Andromeda wanted it that way. This was turning out just to be like the movies. Maybe Remus would kiss her here and now, and vow to be her steady until they left school, then he'd be her husband.

Her heart was literally pounding against her chest so much it nearly hurt her to breathe. Remus guided Andromeda over to the very center of the bridge, his favorite spot. The pair was silent, listening to the music echoing from the Great Hall. Andromeda wanted things to move a bit faster, so she decided to lay her head casually on Remus' shoulder. Remus didn't seem to protest. He actually responded by placing his arm around her waist.

"You look radiant tonight, despite your two left feet," Remus said. Andromeda smiled.

"And so did you, despite your two right feet," she replied. Remus let go of their embrace to face her in the dim darkness. He could barely make out her face despite the moonlight.

"Maybe we should switch feet," he suggested. Andromeda's bright smile gave Remus more light to see her eyes by.

"I think it would be rather awkward having one small foot and one large foot," she remarked. Remus nodded. "I'd spend my life limping around, and I suppose I'd never get used to it."

"Andromeda, um…" Remus cleared his throat. "I was wondering…"

"Yes?" she asked curiously.

"What do you think Sirius would think if we—"

"—if we what?" Andromeda rolled her eyes. "We may be related—although my mum denies it—but Sirius isn't my big brother. Why do you need to consult him before doing something with me?"

"Never mind," Remus quickly said. Andromeda smiled. Remus didn't need permission from ANYONE to do anything to her. In fact, the haunting scenery and the circumstances almost made Andromeda want to throw herself on top of Remus and beg him to take her now.

"Remus, you were saying?" she asked.

"It's only been two months and already we've been through so much this term," mentioned Remus. "And I…I…"

Andromeda bit her lip. _Okay, Remus Lupin! Stop beating around the bush and do it! Kiss me! _

"…I don't really know if you noticed it, but I felt that lately…"

_Damn, Remus, you want me to have a fucking heart attack here and now? _

"…lately, you and I have really bonded. I've never bonded with anyone like this before…"

_Bonded my ass.__ I want to jump your bones right about now, and you're babbling like a moron. _

"…and I was thinking…"

Andromeda couldn't stand it anymore. She didn't want to wait much longer. She quickly but gently took Remus face in her hands and drew his lips to hers in a kiss. Remus reacted by wrapping his arms around her waist. Andromeda moved her hands to the back of Remus' head and began fingering his shaggy long hair. As the kiss grew deeper, Andromeda began pressing herself up against Remus' body, even going as far as wrapping her left leg around his right leg. Remus' hands naturally moved lower as they grew more and more intimate with the kissing. Andromeda was in heaven.

But, suddenly, Remus broke it off. Still keeping her in his arms, Remus pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, "I couldn't have said it better myself."

"Well," Andromeda muttered back. "At the rate you were going, we were both going to be 50 by the time you said it!"

Remus smiled. Andromeda looked at the waxing gibbous moon and smiled. "The moon is so lovely tonight! I can't wait until it's full!"

Remus whipped his head around to look at the moon. His expression changed as a chill of a different kind rippled down his back. Andromeda continued.

"We need to come out on a night when it's full and stargaze under it. I did it with Cissy sometimes during the summer…but imagine! Me in your arms, lying on the cool grass, staring into the endless sky…" Andromeda sighed blissfully, pulling Remus into another kiss. But this time, Remus didn't receive it and instead pulled back.

"Remus, what the—"

"—I can't do it," Remus said suddenly.

"Do what? Don't you love me?" she asked.

"Yes," said Remus bluntly. "I can't be with you. We can't make anything out of this," he insisted. Andromeda gasped.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing. Andromeda, there's something about me. Something that means I can't be with you. It would destroy so much."

Andromeda stared at his sad face with horror. "Are…are you betrothed?" she asked.

Remus had to think long and hard about how he was going to answer this. The plain answer was: no. What a silly notion! Of course, that would be Andromeda's first guess, coming from a rich pureblood family, betrothal was an everyday topic for her, as ridiculous it seemed to everyone else. Remus knew Andromeda was informally betrothed herself, to Frank Longbottom, but that wasn't the problem. What WAS the problem was the real reason Remus couldn't fall in love with Andromeda, or any woman. His lycanthropy. It was too dangerous to fall in love with a werewolf. For a single night could have Remus murder his lover. Not to mention if he and Andromeda had sex, and she conceived a werewolf child, what a disaster THAT would be. But, he also couldn't tell Andromeda that. It was too risky, even if Andromeda did love him. It was for the best to lie, Remus decided.

"Yes," he said. "To a young lady from Beauxbatons."

Andromeda bit her lip, trying to hold back the hot tears now stinging her eyes. "W…why didn't you tell me? Why did…can't you get out of it?"

"No," said Remus, every lying word cutting deeper into his stomach as he saw Andromeda begin to shake. "The wedding is all but final." Remus had to convince himself that it was all for the well-being of Andromeda, no matter how much Remus just wanted to hold her. He was technically saving her life.

"Why did you tease me like this? WHY didn't you just tell me instead of drag me along and break my heart here and now?" Andromeda began sobbing. It all began falling into place: the day in Hogsmeade where he didn't show, how he was 'sick' every month and couldn't meet her in various places. He was meeting with his fiancée.

Remus was silent, contemplating taking it back and scooping Andromeda up in his arms.

Andromeda gritted her teeth and growled under her breath. "I bet she's fair. And thin, and gorgeous, isn't she?"

"Oh no!" Remus shook his head. He held out his arms to embrace Andromeda, but he was received with a stinging slap across the cheek. Andromeda had hit him, and she looked like she wanted to do it again.

"Don't come near me! I can't believe you didn't tell me! That kiss! It was so deep, so beautiful! It was all an act? All along? I bet…I bet Bella was right! You just wanted to have sex with me! So you led me on so I would bend to you!" Andromeda accused. Remus shook his head.

"No! I would never want to take advantage of you!" Remus said quickly.

"FUCK YOU!!!!" Andromeda yelled, slapping Remus again. She tore her peacock feather wings off her dress and hurled them at Remus' feet, angry. Remus' cheek was very red. "Never speak to me again, you arrogant jerk!" She stormed off the bridge and inside, crying as she ran, leaving Remus alone under the moon. Remus looked after her as she stopped at the door, turning to face Remus one more time, throwing his cloak off her shoulder and letting it fall to the floor. Andromeda spat once on it and slammed the door behind her.

Remus looked up and began shaking himself. "Damn you," he muttered to the moon in a soliloquy. "You've made my life a hell. You've taken away everything I've ever loved. My father, my freedom, and my Andromeda…"

Remus felt a low, deep growl rise in his throat. Then he cursed the moon under his breath one more time before walking inside himself, not bothering to pick up the feathers or the cloak.


	17. Excuses and Advantages

Later that evening in Gryffindor tower, Remus, not bothering to get out of his fancy Osiris robes, was lying on the couch in the common room, trying to take the manly approach to the situation and not cry. When he'd walked back into the ballroom, Andromeda was there, evidently not seeing fit to go back to her dormitory. Instead, she was surrounded by a group of Slytherin girls she knew, and they were all comforting her as she moaned and cried. One of them saw Remus out of the corner of her eye and gave him a terrifying look. Remus then decided that it would be better just to go to bed early. He felt a huge pang of guilt for what he'd just done, and so he left.

Remus sat up on the sofa as soon as he heard three comforting voices barge into the common room like a hurricane.

"Padfoot, you should be ashamed of yourself!" said a laughing voice.

"What? So I snogged a third year! Big deal!" said a deeper voice.

"In the Muggle world, they call that pedophilia!" said a third voice, a little higher and softer than the other two.

"Oh, come off it, Wormtail, it's not pedophilia when BOTH wizards are under aged! You two are just jealous!"

"Jealous? Me? Why would I, the Great Prongs, be jealous?"

"Yeah, because Evans didn't go with you! She chose that ugly Ravenclaw boy over you! Sorry, looks like you'll be ahem—PRONGING—yourself for a little while longer!"

"Ha. Ha. Ha. She'll come around sooner than you think! One day, she's gonna come up to me and say: James Potter, let me have your babies!"

"Yeah, and Peter will have MY babies!"

"No thank you, Sirius. I'd prefer to have a girl bear my children FOR me."

Remus smiled meekly, seeing his three best friends in such a merry state. Sirius spied Remus first and laughed. "So, Moony!" he shouted (was he a little drunk?) Remus' nickname. "How'd it go with Andromeda? I was half-hoping to accidentally catch you two in bed together!"

"It didn't go at all."

The three young men suddenly went silent. "What does that mean?" asked James, dressed in dress robes covered with snow owl feathers. He took the owl mask off his face to speak better.

"I can't be with her," Remus said. "I'm too dangerous. So I…I told her I was engaged to someone from Beauxbatons."

The three Marauders surrounding him did not look too psyched about this. Sirius, especially, was stricken. They'd all been cheering Remus on before the Ball, hoping that he'd finally get together with the girl he'd secretly loved for a long time.

"Moons, why?"

"I'm TOO DANGEROUS! I could kill her! If she ever had my child, it could end up…like me!" Remus said. "I did us both a favor tonight!"

"THAT'S why she was crying down in the ballroom! I thought it was something Bellatrix had said!" Sirius said. He paused a moment, then spoke again. "You suck, Remus."

"I beg your pardon?" Remus asked.

"He's right," said James. "Lying to Andromeda, even under the best intentions, was a pretty low blow."

"But I'm a WEREWOLF!" Remus emphasized again.

"No, you're afraid to commit!" accused Peter. Remus glared at him.

"Don't any of you understand what it's like to have to transform into this…this THING once a month…a THING that can terrorize and kill?!"

"I think I know the feeling," said Sirius.

"Not to mention, every woman in the world probably does too," James added. Remus rolled his eyes.

Remus growled. "Oh please! Not more 'time of the month' jokes."

"I don't know, maybe they'll do you some good," said Sirius, his expression one of seriousness. "Maybe they can act as medicine for your PMS!"

"Guys—"

"Maybe another one of your famous chocolate bars will do the trick!" Peter added. The three Marauders not being made fun of began laughing hysterically. "Or would you prefer some tampons?"

Remus turned bright red. Sirius stood towering above Remus. Andromeda, who was nearly as tall as her cousin, was taller than even Remus by a few inches.

"Moony, you know, if you really want to see Andromeda, we could probably teach her to become an Animagus alongside us…Prongs and Wormtail are almost ready, we could probably have Andromeda ready by our last year if we work hard enough."

"No, it's still too risky. What if she becomes something small like Wormtail?"

"Her Patronus is a cow, so odds are, that will be her Animagus form too. She'll be big enough," said Sirius. "I saw her produce one in DADA."

"Some wolves hunt cattle," Remus said bitterly. "I did the right thing. I kept her safe."

"No you didn't!" cried Peter. "You only hurt her, and you. You hurt yourself too!" James crossed his arms and began pacing.

"The fact of the matter is, you really had a chance to be happy. You need to cut loose a little more! Andromeda…she deserves you. She loves you, and you love her! You can't deny it," Sirius accused. "I'm impressed she hasn't tried to make you a man yet! Because, you know, even werewolves need a mate. Someone to love. Andromeda is your chance to love. If you can't open your heart to her because you're too busy letting your furry little problem control your life, then you never will!"

"We're all worried about you," James added. "You can't spend your life living from full moon to full moon! That's not even living! Don't you WANT Andromeda?"

"Of course I do, but I think I did the right thing. At least if she hates me, I can't attack her out of nowhere when she goes out stargazing on the full moon!" Remus snapped back. Sirius looked at James, who shook his head. Sirius sighed woefully.

"I was wrong," said Sirius, his voice heavy with disappointment and even a trace of sorrow.. "You're a chicken-shit, Moony. Andromeda deserves better than you."

And with that, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs paraded up to their dormitory, leaving Moony there, sitting on the sofa, all alone with his guilty heart.

* * *

The next morning, Bella got up early to go write an owl to mum. The Owl tower was stark cold (the first frost of the year apparently happened last night). But before she could take out some parchment and a quill, Lucifer flew in the window with a letter addressed to Bella. Bella took the envelope, the address written in her mother's handwriting, and opened it up to read the letter within…

_Dear Bellatrix,_

_Tell Andromeda to get away from Remus Lupin at once! Don't ask me how I know, but I do. Bella, Remus Lupin is a werewolf. He shouldn't even be going to Hogwarts, but, of course, Dumbledore let the pathetic boy in. He could probably kill Andromeda—_

"—Good. Maybe he can take Cissy too," Bella muttered before continuing.

_--He could probably kill Andromeda if she doesn't immediately separate herself from him. Now you, as for you, I wouldn't share this information with ANYONE. Not for the sake of Lupin, but for your sake. No one likes a tattletale, Bellatrix Polaris Black. Convince Andromeda that the Lupin boy just isn't right for her, and I will be grateful to you. _

_I am actually willing to make a bargain with you, Bella, and you'd be smart to seriously consider this. If you can convince Andromeda to dump Lupin without telling her that the boy is a werewolf, I will, in turn, try 'peddling' (as you call it) __Lucius __Malfoy__ on her instead of you over the Christmas holidays. Of course, after the fact, I will have to find a suitable replacement for you, but we can negotiate this later. Please send Lucifer back with a reply ASAP. _

_Mumsie__ Black_

Bella gave a hearty laugh as she read the letter over again, like a favorite novel. This really was going to be a great day, wasn't it? Not only was her mother bargaining with her (which meant Bella was winning) but Andromeda's little boyfriend was a WEREWOLF! A half-breed! Andromeda was in love with a werewolf! She'd last seen her the previous night walking out onto the bridge with him and **snogging** him! This deal was such a heaven-send. Rodolphus Lestrange was a pureblood! All she merely had to do was mention the name, and she was sure her mother would approve!

Bella's laugh grew increasingly evil. Could the day get any better? Remus Lupin's 'furry little problem' was turning out to be quite an advantage for Bella! And convincing Andromeda wouldn't be a problem! Just wave her wand around a few times, and before she'll know it, she'll be engaged to Malfoy, and Bella will be free as a bird!

She quickly (and excitedly) sent off Lucifer with a reply:

_Mumsie_

_I see your offer, and I raise you one more: if I __successfully __convince Andromeda to ditch the half-breed, I __will be allowed to __choose my own suitor…and __Mumsie__, does the surname "__Lestrange__"__ come to mind for you at all? _

_Bella_


	18. Under Barty Crouch's Bed

The next two months went by slowly and solemnly for Andromeda and Remus. Andromeda, who was genuinely mad as Remus for thinking he was engaged and led her on (and she never forgot that kiss they had on the bridge), refused to speak to Remus, and only spoke in passing to Sirius. Remus, who was genuinely regretting ever telling that stupid lie, was secretly realizing that every time her walked past Andromeda, and she gave him one of her glances of death, she looked even more beautiful and more wonderful. Ugh, how could have possibly done what he did?

Andromeda decided not to linger very long on the matter, as much as it hurt, and decided to pull all her extra time into studying for her midterms and her O.W.Ls for the spring. Andromeda was still having trouble in DADA in producing a full Patronus (her cow always seemed to look more like a dying calf). She knew she needed help with it, and she also knew that Remus was the best in school at it. So she ultimately decided to wish that her O.W.L. wouldn't consist of producing a damn animal Patronus. Her shield was strong enough to pass.

Meanwhile, Cissy spent all her time doing research on this "Tom Marvolo Riddle." She couldn't find very much information, and time was running out as far as the Christmas Eve deadline was concerned. Cissy new that pretty soon, the holidays would be coming up, and she needed to stay behind in order to complete her task in her hunt for the mysterious poet.

Her problem was convincing her sisters to let her stay behind…

"Absolutely not," Bella demanded when Cissy asked her the question. They were all sitting in the Slytherin common room. Andromeda was brushing Cissy's hair, and Bella sat sprawled out on the sofa like a movie star, reading a romance novel for young witches. "Mumsie would have a heart attack!"

"Actually, I was thinking of staying behind too, to work on my Patronus and other subjects. I'm managing an A in Charms, but if I want to get into N.E.W.T. Charms, I need to manage to pull an E."

"Not you too!" Bella moaned. "I know what this is about," said Bella, remembering her deal with Druella. "It's Remus Lupin, isn't it? He's staying behind too, you know."

Andromeda shot a deadly look at her sister. "I couldn't give a damn about Remus! With my grades, the only N.E.W.T. I could get into at this rate is Ancient Runes!"

"Dromeda, Dromeda, Dromeda," Bella tsked. "I'm a young woman too. I know everything. But you know there ARE other fish in the sea…"

"Bella, for your information, Remus and I can't happen, and even if it could, I won't let it."

"Oh?" asked Bella with keen interest. Maybe this would end up being easier than she thought….

"He lied to me, Bella! He kept this major secret of his from me for so long, and it hurt me, thinking he was leading me on like this for so long!"

Bella sat up straight. "Wait…you knew all along about his…secret?" She asked disappointedly. Andromeda nodded and sighed.

"Why wouldn't he trust me? That stupid little prick," she muttered bitterly. "I loved him, and when he kissed me, I felt like the world was melting away. But then he just…sprung it on me, and insisted that we can't do anything to get around it…"

Bella grinned. Yes! She'd won! She just needed to get Andromeda to come home to prove it to Mumsie.

"But Bella! Can't I stay too? I have some...research myself to finish," Cissy begged. Bella looked from Cissy to Andromeda, both looking at her hopefully.

"I can explain one of you staying behind for the holidays, but Mumsie won't tolerate only me coming home. One of you has to come home with me."

Cissy immediately flashed her precociously sweet smile at Andromeda. "Please? 'Dromeda, you're so smart anyway! Can't you let me stay behind this holiday? You can stay behind next year, I promise!" Andromeda distorted her mouth and frowned. She thought a moment, and then rolled her eyes.

"Fine. You win. I'll go home with Bella," Andromeda caved. Cissy grinned and kissed Andromeda on the cheek. Bella sighed and nodded satisfactorily.

* * *

After the train left for the holiday vacation, Cissy was only one of six Slytherins and one of 22 students remaining at school over the holiday break, a surprisingly small number. Among the other five Slytherins was Barty Crouch Jr., the first-year boy who had a huge crush on Narcissa and insisted on tormenting her with the fact that they were informally betrothed to each other. That evening at dinner in the Great Hall, Barty insisted on sitting next to "his future bride" at dinner, but Cissy kept her eye on the Gryffindor table, where Remus Lupin sat. So, that was the boy who broke Andromeda's heart. Cissy immediately hated him for that very reason.

After dinner, Remus spotted Cissy heading downstairs to the dungeons, and he strived to catch up to her. He laid a hand on her shoulder gently. Cissy looked up uninterestedly into his eyes.

"May I help you?" she asked coldly.

"Narcissa Black?"

"That's my name, don't wear it out," Cissy responded. Remus smiled. Cissy could see where Andromeda would have a crush on him. His smile was warm and tender.

"May I ask, how is your sister?" he asked curiously. "She went home, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but she's Bellatrix Black, so she's never NOT doing well," Cissy said, knowing very well Remus wasn't interested in Bella.

"I meant Andromeda. She is doing alright?"

Cissy stared with disbelief into Remus' eyes. He was such a bastard!

"You scum! Don't you DARE ask about 'Dromeda!" Cissy said, shaking off Remus' hand and storming away. Remus put a hand to his forehead. Did EVERYONE hate him for the one mistake he made?

Watching Cissy walking downstairs with a pout made Remus realize that he already knew his answer.

* * *

The morning of Christmas Eve made Cissy feel like crap. She had run out of time. It was 11:52 AM. The deadline was about to pass, and Cissy hadn't manage to find out even a single clue as to where Tom Marvolo Riddle's bed could be in the house. She sat with the poem, now crumpled into a ball in her fist, tapping her bare feet (her shoes were kicked off and lying on the floor beside the sofa) muttering curses to herself on how she'd wasted an entire holiday in school when she could've been home with Bella and Andromeda, making delicious foods and opening expensive presents (although she was sure that Mumsie would send a few owls with some meat pies and her gifts).

"Cissykins! Darling, how are you?" Cissy groaned and didn't bother to turn around. Barty Crouch was standing behind her, ready to harass her until she screamed…again.

"Go get eaten by a hippogriff, Barty, I'm not in the mood," said Cissy. Barty moaned woefully and dangled something in front of Cissy's face. Mistletoe.

"Now you have to kiss me or else!" Barty taunted.

"I'd rather have every one of my teeth pulled out one-by-one by the hand of my ex-cousin Sirius," Cissy scoffed. "Go to hell."

"But you HAVE to kiss me OR ELSE!" Barty repeated.

"Or else WHAT?" scowled Cissy. Barty quickly made a grab for Cissy's shoes…and was successful. Cissy sprang out of her seat. "Hey! Give those back, you ass!"

"Or else the Nargles will take you shoes and eat them!" Barty laughed, running off towards the boy's dormitory with Cissy's shoes hanging high over his head. Cissy growled and gave chase.

"GIVE THOSE BACK, YOU SON OF A GRINDYLOW!!!" Cissy hollered. Barty immediately slammed the door to one of the further rooms. Cissy swung them open. Barty stood in front of his bed, but the shoes where nowhere to be found.

"Give me my shoes, or I'll report you to a prefect!" Cissy threatened.

"Look for them!" Barty taunted in a sing-song voice.

Cissy immediately grabbed a pillow and hurled it forcefully at Barty. It caught him off guard and sent him hurling into his bedside table, and he hit his head on the stone wall, knocking him out. Cissy smirked and ducked under his bed to find her shoes.

And there they were. Cissy made a grab for them, when something else caught her eye. It made her heart skip a beat.

It was another familiar piece of paper, lying neatly folded under a carving in the wood frame of the bed. The carving read as follows:

Tom Marvolo Riddle! This was it! What luck! Cissy grabbed the poem (along with her shoes) and sprang up happily. Mission accomplished! She ran over to the inert Barty, still out cold from his nasty fall. Cissy quickly pecked his lips with a small kiss.

"Thank you, you toerag!" she said, before dashing back to the common room to read the new poem. She couldn't even wait to get all the way up the stairs. She unfolded the paper and read to herself:

_Good for you, you're on your way!_

_The next puzzle piece is found today!_

_Now take a rest, you've done a great thing,_

_The next puzzle piece won't emerge 'til spring._

_Our orphaned hero is gaining strength fast,_

_And I assure you that this next task,_

_Is not to find a paper, but to find a friend,_

_You'll find him down at __Hogsmeade's__ end,_

_On the night when Beltane moon is high,_

_And the __veelas__ escape to light the sky._

_Again, relax, you'__ve done well, good job,_

_(now__, why don't you be nicer to that __Barty__ slob?)_

Cissy felt her heart pound. That Barty slob? This poet Tom Marvolo Riddle…KNEW what was going on around her? What a creepy thought.

Still, she decided to go play in the snow and do exactly what the poem said for her to do: relax. She needed it.


	19. A New Idea

"Andromeda! There is a visitor here for you!"

Sitting up in her guest room at 12 Grimmauld Place, where she, Bella, and Druella were spending the holidays, Andromeda stared gloomily into her mirror. She's lost a bit of the glow in her face she'd noticed at the end of the summer. So much had happened since then: she'd nearly been raped, she'd nearly gotten Remus for a boyfriend, she'd nearly drunken herself into oblivion, and she nearly went insane after Remus announced he was betrothed all along. So many 'nearly' events…why couldn't anything be 'definitely' or 'totally' for her?

Andromeda, while trying so hard not to think about Remus, found it extremely difficult to do so. For instance, watching Druella repair a cut she'd gotten the other day made Andromeda think about the cuts that always lined his face. Also, watching Bella try to make cookies the other day would have been so much fun, had they not been chocolate cookies.

The more Andromeda thought about things, the more she realized Remus was actually engaged. Yet, something inside her still clung to the hope of Remus either breaking off the engagement, or it being a huge lie. And really, why wouldn't it be a lie? Remus had never shown signs of being betrothed. Usually, it was just a device to keep pure blood in rich families. Remus wasn't rich; there was no doubt about that. His robes always looked patched, shaggy, and old, his hair always looked unkempt and undone. Andromeda didn't know whether Remus was a pureblood, but then again, the few remaining pureblooded families' names were drilled into Andromeda's mind (Druella had done so herself), and Lupin was not among the names, so most likely, Remus was only half or less.

But, if Remus WASN'T betrothed, then, why would he lie to her like that in order to prevent a relationship from forming? Not only was that not like Remus at all, but it hurt Andromeda to think that if there WAS some alternative reason, Remus didn't deem it fit to tell Andromeda said secret. She'd known him since first year when Sirius introduced them to each other. Five years, didn't Remus know that after five long years, he could trust Andromeda with his life?

Then again, maybe it was true, and that would make Remus a very GOOD liar. If he was engaged to a Beauxbatons girl, then why did he see fit to HIDE it from Andromeda for five years? Again, not matter whether he was getting married or not, it came down to the same core: Remus was hiding something from her. Remus didn't trust Andromeda. So either way, she technically lost.

What made things even worse was the fact that Andromeda couldn't get the kiss out of her mind. The warm, tender kiss she and Remus shared. The fact that she felt his hands reach lower down her back and she wanted him to go lower, the feeling she got when Remus stuck his tongue in her mouth ever so nimbly, and when she wrapped her leg around his…Andromeda suddenly pounded her fist on the table. She hated her life. Why the hell would Remus go so far with her and suddenly tell her that he couldn't love her because he had a fiancée?

And WHO had a fiancée at fifteen years old anyways?

"ANDROMEDA! YOU HAVE A GUEST!" yelled Druella from downstairs. Andromeda snapped out of her thinking session and found herself staring in the mirror again. It was again Christmas Eve. Who would be calling for her at this time? It was almost supper!

Bella came dashing into the room, apparently very excited. Andromeda looked over from her vanity table. "Who the bloody hell is it?" she asked. Bella smiled.

"Lucius Malfoy!" squealed Bella.

"No….Bel-LA…." Andromeda moaned. "DON'T tell me you convinced Lucius to pass you over for me?"

"Mummy was thinking this past term, and she has a different man in mind for me. She thinks Lucius would be a better husband to you than I—"

"—and what makes her think THAT? What about Frank Longbottom?" asked Andromeda. Bella shrugged.

"'Dromeda, if I knew the secret of our mother, I would bottle it, sell it and be a rich woman in my own right," Bella said. "Lucius is here to call for you! Isn't that exciting?"

"No," was Andromeda's reply. "Lucius Malfoy is a bigot. A stuck-up ass with no feelings other than hatred and conceit."

"Very few men have anything else nowadays," Bella mused. "Lucky the Black women are blessed with good looks and charm. Even Cissy, even thought she hasn't got the looks we two have."

"Mummy wants me to marry Lucius Malfoy," Andromeda whispered. Great, to complicate things even more with her lingering feelings for Remus, now SHE was getting engaged! Maybe if Lucius was interested in the girl from Beauxbatons currently engaged to Remus…

"Indeed she does! Such a man!" Bella said excitedly. "He's staying for dinner too! Mummy said she'll even let you toast the holiday with firewhiskey if you behave around Lucius!" Bella winked. Andromeda rolled her eyes. Ever since that day in Hogsmeade, she'd vowed never to drink alcohol in ANY form as long as she lived. Bella got up and went to the door. "Come ON!" she summoned Andromeda. Andromeda looked at herself one last time in the mirror before heading downstairs with Bellatrix.

Lucius Malfoy, dressed in sleek (new?) black dress robes, stood at the bottom of the staircase, smiling smugly up at Andromeda as she came downstairs. He held a small box in his hand, and in his other hand he held a cane. His long silvery-blonde hair was almost exactly like Cissy's. He had a large nose and, while smiling pleasantly enough, looked as if he was smelling something bad.

"Miss Andromeda," he said, his voice warm, but a little snootish. "I am very pleased to be in your ancestor's house," he said, taking a bow at the waist. Andromeda wanted to run back up to her room and puke. Why not just say he was glad to be here? SO what if this was her ancestors' house? Did this guy get OUT?

"Pleased to meet you," Andromeda said through gritted teeth. Lucius knitted his eyebrows together.

"What's wrong? You gritted your teeth together when you spoke…do you have a toothache?" he asked without much concern in his voice.

Andromeda wanted to say, "No, but my gut aches, so watch out before I ralph all over you…" but she remained silent. She just shook her head.

Lucius smiled again. "Good. Shall we go into the parlor, then?"

Andromeda looked at Bella and Druella, who were walking away. Great, now she had to be ALONE with this git? Andromeda turned back to her suitor and nodded. She saw him into the sitting room and offered him a spot on a loveseat. Andromeda then took a seat cross the coffee table. She didn't speak.

"You know, when I first spoke to your mother, and she said she was having second thoughts on Bellatrix, I felt a little disdained. But then, meeting you and seeing how much lovelier you are than your sister…you're hair is lighter, your eyes are more intense, so beautiful…"

Andromeda remained quiet.

"Are you shy around men? I am told that you've had a few gentlemen callers at school, but then you thought the better of them," Lucius asked.

Andromeda could have sworn she saw Remus face flash in front of her eyes the way he looked the night he saved her from Hugo Mince. She had no doubt that he would do the same for her now. Andromeda would call ANYONE to get rid of the ass before her now.

"I am not shy around men, I'm just a little…taken aback that such a fine man would call me beautiful!" Andromeda lied. Lucius smiled. Andromeda had decided to make the best of the current situation, awkward as it was. That would have been Remus' advice.

"My darling Andromeda, I have a gift for you," said Lucius, pushing the small box he'd been holding before her. Andromeda took it and opened it. It was a ring, with two serpents winding around a large green emerald. Andromeda gasped genuinely. An engagement ring.

"It's been in the Malfoy family for ages, made by goblins back in the days of the Ancient Celtic Druids," said Lucius. "If you accept this ring, that will make the betrothal official. Of course, we cannot marry until you finish school…"

Andromeda stared into the ring. Suddenly, it dawned on her. She didn't know how, or why, but she knew in her heart that Remus was not betrothed. He'd been lying to her…but for a reason. A good reason. She bit her lip and felt her heart skip a beat as she thought of this. But…what to do about the Malfoy git?

Andromeda got an idea and looked up at Lucius and smiled. She took the ring out of the box and placed it around her left ring finger. "I accept!" she declared. Lucius suddenly beamed and stood up to embrace his new fiancée (albeit with the same reserve he'd shown thus far).

"She's said yes!" Lucius called. Bella and Druella, along with Andromeda' little cousin Regulus, ran into the parlor with glasses of firewhiskey.

Bella was beaming. "My little sister's getting married!" she cried.

Druella could hardly hold back her tears. She passed out the glasses and rose her own glass in a toast. "To the happy couple, Lucius Malfoy and the future Andromeda Aries Black-Malfoy! Carrying on the strong tradition of pureblood in the houses of Malfoy and Black!"

"Cheers!" said everyone in the room, raising their glasses. Andromeda beamed proudly as Lucius reached for her hand. But she was smiling, thinking of the new plan she'd just set in motion.

Andromeda would finally get the chance to channel and unleash her hidden Bellatrix.


	20. How to Bring Down a Marauder

When Bella and Andromeda returned to Hogwarts after Christmas break, Andromeda carelessly showed off her engagement ring and the news of her betrothal to Lucius Malfoy to nearly everyone in the school. Cissy said that when she read the owl that Mumsie had sent her, she screamed, and not in a good way. Ted Tonks (newly single himself, as Viola couldn't take his 'lack of gracefulness' anymore) thought the ring looked "a little too big." Lily Evans said that she was "quite surprised" and didn't expect "the richest pureblooded git this side of the Atlantic" to be Andromeda's choice of husband. Severus Snape didn't say a word, just looked at her and groaned. Good. Andromeda was getting the replies she needed. They told her the match was unnatural. Still, she flaunted her engagement like Bella would, counting down the minutes until the Marauders got wind of it.

That day came in late January, in the midst of a rather strong snowstorm. Andromeda was sitting up in the clock tower, reading by herself (she often went to the tower to get a little privacy), when she heard three sets of footsteps on the ground approach her.

"Let me see the ring," said a solemn voice. Andromeda stood up to face Sirius, Remus, and James Potter. Sirius had spoken. He face was not one of joy, but rather, one of concern. Andromeda, looking right at Remus, thrust her hand forward, the huge emerald gleaming in the lamplight. Sirius took her hand in his and studied the ring. "I can't believe it."

"What? That I'm betrothed? As if it NEVER happens?" Andromeda mimicked Bellatrix' sly smile as she saw Remus look down at his feet. James Potter even glanced sideways and knitted his eyebrows together.

"I really don't believe it," said James. "If anyone ended up marrying a Muggle-born, it'd be you."

"Well, Lucius pressed for a quick engagement, and I decided to just…you know, go along with it. Good idea, eh Remus?" Andromeda said. Remus didn't say a word, but Andromeda looked to Sirius and winked. Sirius suddenly understood everything, took a quick glance at Remus, and leaned over to whisper in his cousin's ear.

"You crazy, you know that?"

"Just like Bella," Andromeda whispered back.

"No, just like me! You're a damn genius!" Sirius whispered before leaning back. Sirius looked behind him at his two partners-in-crime, and smiled widely. "I couldn't be happier for you!"

"You COULDN'T?!" Remus suddenly whipped his head up and looked at Sirius. "Obviously, this isn't right at all! She's far too young, Lucius is far too old, and the idea of arranged marriage is just—"

"—what you're going through?" Andromeda suddenly cut Remus off. Realizing what he'd nearly said and how it could give away everything, Remus bit his lip and nodded.

"Yes, I guess things worked out for us after all," Remus said, saving himself. But witty Andromeda knew that Remus was so busted! James looked at Sirius, who winked at him. Andromeda smiled just as Bella would, and James understood too. Then he took Andromeda's hand in his and kissed her knuckles.

"I would be honored if I could be invited to your wedding!" he said.

"Hell knows I won't," muttered Sirius. Andromeda shrugged. She then looked at Remus.

"Well, Remus? Do you give me your blessing or not?" she asked. "After all, of all people, you would know what this means to me, you and your Beauxbatons rose," she said, raising her large eyebrow.

Remus almost looked like he was in pain as he nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Maybe we could even have a double wedding! Wouldn't that be just GRAND!" Andromeda said, milking every moment for what it was worth: to make Remus feel even more uncomfortable than he obviously already was. Remus had to turn away and run back downstairs before he blurted anything else out. Andromeda looked at James and Sirius.

James grinned. "You're ruthless," he said. Andromeda changed her posture to that of Bella's exaggerated stance and pouted her lips, mimicking her sister's voice.

"Damn straight, and don't you forget it, blood traitor!"

Sirius and James burst out laughing. Andromeda continued. "Have sex with YOU? No, I don't care if you're a virgin…but are you a pureblood?" Everyone laughed again. Sirius gave a moment of concern.

"How are you going to get out of this, though? Doesn't a ring make it legally binding?"

"No! The WEDDING makes in legally binding! Siri, I'm playing Bellatrix' part now! She can get out of a betrothal, and so can I just as easily!"

"Definitely MY cousin," said Sirius.

"It seems a little…um…harsh," James muttered. "Just make sure you know what you're doing. Even master pranksters like Pads and I plan out our missions ahead of time."

"I'm just winging it," said Andromeda. James frowned. Then she added, "It's how Bella would have gone and done it!"

"You must really want Remus to come around…" Sirius said. Andromeda nodded.

"Look how freaking desperate I am!" Andromeda moaned, holding up her ring. "Do you have ANY idea how heavy this son of a bitch ring is?!"

"It's a huge rock," James nodded. "Only Lucius Malfoy," he added after a second.

"Well, I have to go," said Andromeda, picking up her book to leave. After a second, she turned around to face Sirius and James again. "Um, you see him more than I do…" Andromeda began.

"We'll see what we can do," Sirius nodded, smiling his handsome smile. Andromeda grinned back (they're smiles were nearly identical) and headed back down to Slytherin house.

* * *

Sirius and James didn't have to be in the Gryffindor common room for very long. Remus had been sitting on the sofa, waiting for them. He shot up the moment they walked in the door.

"This is ridiculous!" Remus groaned. "She's only 15!"

"Well, I guess turnabout is fair play…only, it really isn't for you, is it?" Sirius said. Remus bit his lip. "This totally backfired on you, and you're as jealous as Bellatrix at a beauty pageant!"

"It did backfire, didn't it?" Remus moaned. "I can't believe I am so dumb! Even if I came clean and told her everything right now, she's still betrothed!"

James and Sirius shrugged as Remus began pacing the room. "I mean, why did she ACCEPT the proposal anyway?"

"Oh man, how should I know? Maybe after you completely left her shell-shocked in the wake of your HUGE LIE to keep you two apart, she felt so vulnerable she'd have asked the first man who got on one knee? That was a pretty mean thing you did, Remus," said Sirius. "It wasn't like you at all."

"And we stand by what we said before: Andromeda WOULD accept the truth about you!" James added. Remus clicked his teeth together, as he sometimes did when he was thinking.

"I want her back in my arms," Remus confessed. "But now it's an even deeper hole!"

"Who said you couldn't have an extra-marital affair with her?" Sirius suggested.

"Who said Lucius Malfoy wouldn't give me the 'Green Spark Treatment' if he ever found out?" Remus shot back.

"Who said he would ever find out?" James boomeranged. "You and your goddamned excuses, Remus!"

"You're hardly a Marauder!" Sirius said.

"Hardly? If the man doesn't even want to try an extra-marital affair with Malfoy's little fiancée, then who's to say he's willing to shoot off 50 dungbombs during the History of Magic O.W.L. in the spring like he PROMISED?" James said, glaring at Remus. Remus gave his friends an intense look.

"LOOK, you guys, I'm too poor, too dangerous for Andromeda!"

"You are SUCH a git!" James finally said. "You are so blind! I give up! He's worse than Wormtail!" he said, going up stairs to the room, closing the door rather forcefully. Remus turned to Sirius.

"This is incredibly complicated…"

"Oh, complicated?" asked Sirius. "Try asking HER what complicated is, you moron! She wants you, but you won't open your heart up to her, and so you make up a lie, that I can guarantee you, she KNOWS is a lie! And yet, she still wants you, goes after you, you shoot her down, stand her up, and shoot her down again! So what do you expect? Do you WANT Andromeda to develop a fear of men and end up a Muggle** NUN**?! No, she's smart than that, so she decided to move on and go with Lucius Malfoy. Now granted, Lucius for a husband is worse than being a nun, but at least he doesn't LIE to his girlfriends because he's too afraid to get into a relationship that can only make him HAPPY!" Sirius ranted. Remus wanted to scream.

But instead, he just gave Sirius a hurt look and walked out of the common room towards the entrance to the tower. The library was a better refuge than this.

Once settled down on a chair in the library with a good book called _"Famous Werewolves, __Merpeople__, and __Veelas __During__ the Renaissance Era"_ Remus felt his blood pressure begin to go back down to normal. Man, Sirius and James really knew how to hit his sensitive areas, didn't they?

Then again, maybe he should apologize. After all, they WERE his best friends…

Remus heard some giggling from a table nearby, and Remus barely needed to lean over to see that it was Andromeda, giggling with a few of her Slytherin roommates, Vienne and Gaia, all of them staring into her giant engagement ring as if it were a crystal ball showing them their futures.

Remus knew what he'd see if he had one to look into: a lonely old man with no one and nothing to live for.


	21. Valentine's Day in Hogsmeade

The state of things at Hogwarts involving the Marauders and the Blacks made Valentine's Day out to promise to be a VERY interesting day indeed. Remus and Andromeda still refused to talk to each other. Andromeda, her plan (according to Sirius, who told her everything) was working to a T, although Remus wouldn't admit he was on the verge of tracking down Malfoy during a full moon to rip him up into pure-blooded steaks. In the meantime, Andromeda kept flashing off her ring and talked about wedding preparations, particularly in classes she shared with Remus. She, Sirius, and James kept discussing ways to make things move along faster, for Remus was still stone for the most part. They eventually came to the conclusion that a 'visitor' to Hogwarts on February 14th would help things along a bit…

Meanwhile, Cissy pouted the entire time Andromeda 'mused,' saying that she still wanted Lucius Malfoy for herself. Andromeda smiled as she imagined handing Lucius over to a squealing Cissy as she and Remus exchanged wedding vows, Druella and Bella all in a fuss! Andromeda smiled. This daydream alone got her through some hard times and classes.

To make things for the sisters Black even MORE out-of-the-norm, Bella and Rodolphus Lestrange quickly became an 'item' around the school. It made Andromeda and Sirius (not so much Cissy) sick to their stomachs to see them snogging around the school in various places (and in various ways, much to the horror of Sirius). One particular day, Andromeda and Sirius had gone to the Great Hall to study after a double Herbology class. Bella and Rodolphus were flirting around the next table over.

Sirius leaned over to talked quietly in Andromeda' ear. "What's your opinion on this guy?"

Andromeda sniffed back a laugh (or a sneeze). "He's handsome enough. Pureblooded too, which is always a plus for Bellatrix. But he's a bit of a pervert," she said. "There are fifty girls here alone who's give their souls for a minute to talk to him, and yet he chooses my sister, the Hooker of Hogwarts."

"You really think they're having sex?" asked Sirius. "They've only been dating a few weeks…"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Andromeda sighed. "She's not one to wait very long if YOUR long, if you know what I mean."

"Okay, new subject!" Sirius pleaded. Andromeda laughed and softly smacked Sirius over the head with a book.

"So, 'Pads'," asked Andromeda, using the nickname James used for him (although she still had no idea what it meant), "Are YOU getting a date for Valentine's day this year? You know the 14th is on a Hogsmeade weekend, and I'm going 'out' with Lucius…"

"Um, I've actually got an ulterior motive for that day. James is still trying to get Lily Evans to go with him, and because she…"

"…would rather have a root canal…"

"…exactly. I'm going with James, for moral support."

Andromeda snickered. "Yeah, THAT'S why you're going with James!" Sirius growled and smacked Andromeda in the back of her head, making her laugh a little more.

That was when Remus appeared at the table. Sirius quickly spoke, "So, you're going to Hogsmeade with Lucius, eh? Oh, Remus! I didn't SEE you there!" Andromeda rolled her eyes. Sirius could be such a dork sometimes.

"Pads. Andromeda," Remus nodded at the both of them. "I wanted to talk to you, Andromeda, do you mind?"

Andromeda winked at Sirius as she felt her heart speed up. She left the Great Hall with Remus and kept walking until he stopped her. Andromeda looked at him and caressed her engagement ring from Lucius tenderly with her index finger.

"What do you need?" she asked. Remus bit his lip.

"I've been thinking quite a bit," Remus said. "And—"

"—how's your Beauxbatons fiancé? I was thinking, actually, we could have a double wedding!" Andromeda said. Remus groaned.

"May I talk?"

"Yes. Sorry."

Remus looked around, then down at Andromeda's ring. It was so big and garish on her hand, it was like the too-bright headlight of a gorgeous sports car. "Andromeda, I'm going to Hogsmeade on the 14th, and I was thinking, I owe you a drink at The Three Broomsticks. Would you accompany me?"

Andromeda would have said yes, but that would screw up the plan. Yes, the goal WAS to have Remus ask her out, but if she consented now, then it would become clear the whole thing was a hoax, and then what would happen? Besides, Remus was only saying her 'owed her.' This wasn't how it was meant to go.

"I can't. Lucius and I are going together."

Remus looked sorely disappointed. "Oh, right, your future husband."

"You can't blame me for that, Remus," Andromeda said. "You sprung your engagement on me, and I was hurt. Lucius is going to take care of me, because you evidently didn't want to," she said cleverly.

"Well, you're not exactly being fair here either," said Remus. "You didn't exactly tell me right away about YOUR plans!"

"WHAT plans?"

"You're engaged to him because you were still pissed off at me. I was pretty bad to you, but this is just a vengeance trick on me, and I'm not buying into it anymore! You think being engaged is going to get me to crawl back in your lap? Well, too bad, because I'm getting a date of my own to Hogsmeade!"

The words stung Andromeda. She knew that despite her 'clever plan' they were very true. She was doing the same thing to Remus, if not a worse thing. Guilt suddenly welled up inside her. But she kept stone-cold, as much as she wanted to melt at that moment.

"What about your fiancée?" she asked. Caught in the lie, Remus furiously snarled like a wolf at Andromeda and walked briskly away. Andromeda bit her lip and ran back to her own dormitory to cry herself into oblivion, realizing how stupid this whole 'plan' was all along.

* * *

Bright and early on Valentine's Day, Andromeda dressed in the new dress and cloak she'd ordered from a magazine for her date with…ugh…Lucius. Bella, who had been oddly calm and quiet all morning instead of making snarky commentary, escorted her sister upstairs. Cissy, who was still a year too young for Hogsmeade, was sleeping in late.

The students going to Hogsmeade with dates were all gathered at the front gate. Remus was there, linking arms with Viola Illyria. Ted Tonks was there, no date in sight, going over a list of groceries. Sirius was with James, who was ranting on about Lily deciding to 'skip the day to study.' Sirius was exchanging worried glances with Andromeda, looking over at Viola and Remus. Viola was running her long, fat fingers through Remus's hair and musing about how he needed to find a potion to help his scars. Before she could approach Sirius, Lucius appeared alongside Rodolphus. The two men had been talking. Lucius kissed Andromeda on the cheek (some of the third and fourth years 'oohed' at this) and conjured a boquet of green and silver roses from his wand, handing them to Andromeda, who accepted (still playing her game, she figured that she was in a deep enough hole already, she might as well come out on the other side of the world). Bella looked uneasily and whispered something on Rodolphus' ear.

"Why, what's wrong?" he asked. Bella shushed him and looked around, wondering if anyone heard.

Once in Hogsmeade, Lucius and Andromeda headed to the pub for a butterbeer. Remus and Viola ended up sitting nearby and chatting, Remus glancing at Andromeda every so often. So awkward and confusing, everything was! All Andromeda wanted was time to herself to think things through, so she asked Lucius about his family's history. That would give her at least twenty minutes to drone him out and think.

_"Will I __have to marry __Luciu__s__ after all?__ He's evidently smitten with me. We ARE engaged. What's the use of breaking it off if Remus is on to me and will never come around? But, __Lucius__ isn't my soul mate. I can't be with him. I have to find a way to break it off anyway. But…things are so wrong! Remus exposed himself as lying about the __Beauxbatons__ girl, and he knows my goal with this masquerade, so why aren't we __snogging__ behind the pub already? Oh, damn! I just need to get out of here!" _

"I need to piss," Andromeda blurted out, taking Lucius by surprise. Andromeda shot up and ran out of the pub out of Hogsmeade. She stopped in front of the infamously haunted Shrieking Shack to cry and yell, which she did. Looking out at the Shack, something inside Andromeda tingled. Something about the small house made Andromeda want to know it's history. It had a story to tell too, didn't it? So did she, if only Remus would listen! She knew Remus had a story too, if only…if only—

"—Andromeda?"

Andromeda quickly rubbed her eyes dry of any tears and turned on her heel to see Ted Tonks standing there, looking at her curiously. "Ted! What are you doing here?"

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked. Andromeda shook her head.

"Nothing at all…"

"Well, if you need anything, what with your loveless relationship with Lucius and all—"

"—wait, how the hell do YOU know I don't love Lucius?" asked Andromeda. Ted smiled.

"It's obvious," said Ted. "You love Remus Lupin, and because he won't take you, you're engaged in order to spite him. I'm a very observant—and bored—wizard," he explained. Andromeda looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"You stalking me?" she asked. Ted shook his head.

"No, but how can I not help wondering what your story is?" he asked. "You stand out. You and your sisters all do, but you stand out even among them," Ted said. Andromeda smiled.

"You know, I've never had anyone say that to me," she whispered. "You're a good friend. How come I never noticed you before?"

"I tend to blend," Ted said, nodded at the somewhat sad fact. "Being a Muggle-born, there are the occasional wizards who go out of their way to avoid me," he confessed.

"Who cares what your blood status is, really?" Andromeda said, moaned. "That's why I admire Sirius so much. He has the courage in him to leave the Blacks. Damn, why can't I?!"

Ted walked in closer and smiled reassuringly. "You do. You just need to find where it is."

Andromeda smiled back. "You're an astounding person," she said.

"Um…thanks, I guess," said Ted, feeling awkward. Andromeda could see he was blushing, so she turned to leave. But then she turned back.

"Ted…?"

"Yeah?"

Andromeda paused a moment. "You'd be a great Emotional Healer," she said. Ted looked at his feet shyly. "I think in Muggle terms, that's a therapist, right?"

"Yes, and thank you," he said. Andromeda waved and headed back into town. Instead of going back to the pub (which is where Lucius and Remus would be), she decided to instead duck into an abandoned bookstore that had been rented out but never moved into.

Andromeda suddenly heard some muffled crying noises. Startled, Andromeda jumped back before going to search for whoever was crying. After a few twists and turns, she found it was none other than Bellatrix: huddled in a corner, her makeup running down her face. She looked more small and meek in that moment than Andromeda had ever seen her older sister.

"Bella? What happened?!" Andromeda asked, leaning down to her sister's level. Bella looked at Andromeda and whined.

"Rodolphus won't see me anymore unless I get rid of it…"

"Wait…what?" asked a clueless Andromeda. Bella looked at her sister.

"He'll take me back if I don't have it or keep it, but if I keep it, he says he won't come back. I want him back, Andromeda…I think…I think I'm in love with him!"

Hearing Bellatrix say she actually loved somebody was enough for Andromeda to run to a hospital to have her ears checked. "Wait…get rid of what? Have what?"

Bella blinked out a tear before she spoke again. "Andromeda, I'm pregnant."


	22. Bellatrix' Dead Ringer

"You're….what?" asked Andromeda, not sure if Bella was speaking English.

"I'm having Rodolphus' baby," Bella said, sounding meek as a mouse, which, for Andromeda, was a rare treat. Of course, in this context, it wasn't a treat. "I just told him, and he left me. He says he'll still be with me if I have it taken care of."

So much went through Andromeda's mind at that moment. Suddenly, her feud with Remus (which was completely based on a lie) didn't matter. Her phony engagement to Lucius didn't matter. Her older sister, skanky and rude as she was, was in serious trouble. Andromeda felt a bout of anger well up inside her. How could Bella, the oldest of three sisters and therefore the prime example for herself and Cissy, be so damn STUPID?

Oh yeah, she was Bellatrix Black. Enough said.

Andromeda, without thinking, slapped Bella across the face and turned red with rage. "You IDIOT!" she yelled. "You're a STUDENT!!! You're SEVENTEEN!! How could be so dumb as to at least not take any BIRTH CONTROL POTION before whoring around a shady character like Rodolphus Lestrange?!" Andromeda hollered. For a split second, Andromeda couldn't hear her voice. She heard her mother's voice.

"'Dromeda…I…"

"And now you're having a BABY?!" Andromeda said, pressing her palm to her forehead. "You are a complete moron. Bellatrix, I sometimes think I should be the eldest! What will Cissy think?! And MUM! I'M the betrothed one, so what will she say when we come home for summer vacation with YOU with the motherly figure?"

"Andromeda, I still want Rodolphus," Bella said. Andromeda's tirade halted. She looked at Bella with disbelief. "I want to get rid of it."

"I don't believe you," said Andromeda, shaking her head. "Aborting the baby is one thing, but in order to get back in with the man who dumped you because you conceived it? Bella, I think you should have the baby and give it to an orphanage, or even to our aunt Walburga, and NOT go back to Rodolphus Lestrange."

"But I love him!" Bella said, looking Andromeda right in the eye.

"Whatever. Do what you want, just leave me out of it," Andromeda said. "I have my own shit to deal with, and whatever you do, DON'T tell Cissy."

Bella nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. "I wouldn't dream of it."

And with that, Andromeda turned her back and left Bella alone.

* * *

_Darling Andromeda,_

_You never came back to the pub after you left the other day. Was something wrong, and are you __feeling__ okay? Please send an owl back with a reply very soon. I look forward to seeing you via __Floo__ Powder over Easter weekend (it is my birthday, and I want to show you off to my parents). _

_Lucius __Malfoy_

Andromeda groaned as she read the parchment, descending from the Owlery tower with her note from Lucius. She could imagine the note she'd send back already…

_Darling __Lucius,_

_If you even mention showing me off like some pure-blo__o__d__ed__ trophy to your parents__ one more time__, I will personally make it certain that you never have children. _

_Kiss. My. __Ass._

_Your Andromeda_

The hallway was nearly empty, as most students were spending their free afternoon playing out in the tufts of snow. Andromeda stayed inside only because there was way too much on her mind.

"Remus, you are an idiot!"

The sudden voice, and the name it mentioned made Andromeda stop dead in her tracks. She peered from around the corner, and saw Viola and Remus standing against the next wall. Viola looked very angry, and Remus looked confused.

"What did I do NOW?"

"I TOLD you I wanted to go boating on the full moon, and you just said you had an appointment! What, ANOTHER hair appointment? You hair grew back awfully fast from LAST month!" Viola snapped, pacing in a manner similar to Druella Black.

"No, this time it's a dentist appointment," Remus said. Andromeda recognized those eyes from that night on the bridge on Halloween. Remus was lying. Wait…didn't he lie like that then after Andromeda mentioned the full moon?

"A dentist appointment! A **_DENTIST_** appointment! How peachy!" Viola howled. "You getting your teeth filed? They ARE rather pointy!" Viola snubbed. Remus bit his lip.

"Viola, do you even WANT to go out with me?" asked Remus.

"No, but I need SOMEONE," Viola said. "After you dumped that Andromeda bitch, I figured you'd have said yes to anyone!"

"Don't talk about Andromeda Black that way!" Remus said. Andromeda's heart skipped a beat. "She's a better witch than you'll ever be!"

"Haw. A likely story. Don't bother with her. She's engaged to that phony-baloney Malfoy man now. So, after you're done with your mysterious late-night dental appointment, will you meet me by the lake on the full moon? Or are you going to go nighty-night afterwards?"

"You know what? I'm not taking this. I was better off alone, even though—never mind—" and with that, Remus pushed past Viola and walked down the hallway. Andromeda beamed. Atta boy, Remus!

Viola, looking insulted, took off in a different direction. After Andromeda made sure she was out of her sight, she jumped up and screamed for joy. So, Remus still felt the need to defend her honor, AND he lied to Viola, meaning it wasn't personal with Andromeda! She knew now why Remus always made excuses! He was AFRAID OF WOMEN!!!

Well, she'd just have to fix that! Andromeda ran down the hall after Remus. But suddenly, as she passed an open door, she halted and peeked inside. Bella was pacing the empty room, and Severus Snape, the rather cold and ugly chap who made her the Drinkhead Potion to cure her hangover, was sitting on a table, tapping his wand up and down on his elbow, his arms crossed.

"You know I'm only any good in Potions, Bellatrix, a spell of this magnitude can barely be performed by an advanced wizard…" Snape said in his low, dreary voice.

"No! You can do this too, you're the only boy in school who's even heard of it!" Bella protested, pacing even more furiously.

"But _i__nfantis __abortum_ is so complicated and can almost be considered Dark magic. Plus, you need consent from the Ministry, and it's rarely permissible. It's only been performed legally seven times in the past 200 years!"

"I DON'T CARE!" yelled Bella, pushing a stack of papers off the desk in her tantrum. "You Mr. _Sectumsempra_ of all people, wouldn't give a damn about Dark spells! DO IT!" Bella pleaded. Snape remained stone.

"Plus, I heard that _i__nfantis __abortum_ can cause sterility. Even if 'Romeo' Lestrange was to take you back and marry you, you'd most likely be barren forever, and as with all Dark spells…"

Bella recited the next phrase with Snape: "…nothing can reverse it. I don't care! I want Rodolphus more than any children! Andromeda can make all the babies that the Black family can ever handle with Malfoy! DO THE SPELL!""

Snape and Bella looked at each other. Andromeda bit her lip. Bella was aborting the baby growing inside her anyway. Snape groaned and flipped through a book in his lap. "What does it say? What does it say?" Bella asked. Snape looked at her, annoyed.

"_Infantis __abortum _is a swift and silent spell that causes the target's pregnancy to be terminated. In 96.9 percent of cases, the only side-effect is lifelong irreversible sterility. In rare cases, the woman undergoing _i__nfantis __abortum _could also experience fever, illness, and digestive tract disorders. Emotional side-effects are rare as well, but are twice as intense when they do occur, and include madness, depression, and sadism. Side effects are more common among underground users of this spell. Um…Bella, this looks like a messy spell, and if anything goes wrong, I don't want to be held responsible."

"Who am I supposed to go to, those stupid Marauders?" asked Bella. "I'm not letting ANY of those jerks near my reproductive organs with a wand! I swear that if something goes wrong, I won't pin it on you! It's you or…"

Andromeda saw Bella smile. She knew what was coming.

"...or the whole school hears about how YOU knocked me up!" Bella said. Snape grunted under his breath and thumbed through the book. Bella patted his head, and then wiped the grease off her hand on her hip.

"Stand over here," Snape pointed to a spot right in front of him. Bella obeyed. "Now, put your arms out at your sides," he instructed. Bella did so. Snape pointed his wand at Bella's hips.

"Wait…Severus…?"

"What?"

"Will…will it hurt?" Bella asked, a sort of shakiness in her voice. Andromeda chewed on her tongue. Bella was turning chicken, she could see it in her eyes.

Snape read more from the book. "Yes," he answered. "Just for a few seconds though. You'll feel like your insides are shrinking, and it will be moderately painful, but it will be over in no more than ten seconds."

Bella gulped and nodded, her arms still out at her side. Snape chewed on the inside of his cheek, and Andromeda, watching from the door, bit on her nails.

Snape pointed and concentrated, said clearly: "_Infantis __abortum_!"

Andromeda gasped as a jet of black sparks were emitted from Snape's wand. With it, he drew a circle around Bellatrix' hips and closed the circle. Snape extracted his wand and watched as the black ring floated in midair around Bella for a second. Bella looked down. The ring wasn't moving.

Suddenly, Bella's jaw dropped as she uttered a small scream. "Aaaahhh!" she moaned. The ring began to close in on her hips. "AAAAAHHHH!" She screamed louder. Andromeda could barely watch. Bella's screaming intensified and rose in volume as the ring grew tighter. Suddenly, it disappeared totally. Bella fainted to the floor, and Snape ran to her side.

Andromeda heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see Rodolphus Lestrange approaching.

"What's going on?" he asked. Andromeda, speechless from the terrible event she'd just witnessed, simply pointed to the room. Rodolphus, not bothering to thank Andromeda, instead pushed past her to get inside. Andromeda stayed by the door to watch.

"Bella! What in Merlin's name--?"

Bella shot up and limped over to Rodolphus, embracing him and whispering in his ear. Rodolphus gave an odd look and bent down to kiss Bella.

"I love you, Bellatrix," he muttered.

Andromeda groaned loudly and took off down the hall. She'd had quite enough of THIS.


	23. The First Time

_**Warning,** this chapter contains smutty sexiness, and sexy smuttiness, so don't read on if you're not mature enough to handle it!_

* * *

After witnessing Bella and Snape producing the _Infantis __abortum_ spell, Andromeda decided that it would be best to fix everything that she had already screwed up in her life, including her relationship with Remus. But, she didn't really get a chance to do so until the snow melted on Hogwarts grounds and the warm spring rolled in. For Andromeda and Remus were both swept up in the world of schoolwork and studying for those damned O.W.L. exams. Andromeda barely saw Sirius anymore either. But Andromeda, not knowing really what to say to Remus, decided that the time apart was a nice way to prepare herself for when she apologized to Remus.

As for Lucius Malfoy, Andromeda sent back Bella's owl Lucifer with the ring and a polite letter:

_Darling __Lucius_

_I am afraid we must put the engagement on __an indefinite __hiatus. I truly am sorry, and I am sorry for whatever my miserable mother will do to you when she hears. It'd be best if we leave the delivery of this news to me. __That way, more than likely she will blame me over you. _

_Again, my sincerest apologies._

_Best wishes,_

_Andromeda A. Black_

Andromeda never heard back from Lucius. That was the end of that.

The spring was, indeed warm and muggy. A week after Andromeda sent Lucifer off with the ring, she decided to go for a walk on the school grounds to take a break from her studies. The clouds above her were impregnated with rain just waiting to fall. Andromeda walked far from the school, just letting her soul rest and her mind wander. But she didn't get much time to herself.

Standing on a large stone by himself, staring over the Black Lake, was Remus, wearing a long black cape about his shoulders and tied under his chin, looking in deep thought himself. The cape blew behind him in the gentle wind. Andromeda smiled. She suddenly felt her body tingle. It was time. She took deep breaths as she slowly approached Remus.

"Hello, Remus," Andromeda said, trying to sound pleasantly surprised. Remus turned to look at Andromeda and produced a weak smile.

"Good afternoon, Andromeda. All is well, I hope?" he asked, not a twinge of emotion in his voice.

"All is going wonderfully. And you?"

Remus looked down at his feet. "Not much is happening, so no news is good news, I suspect," he answered. Andromeda nodded and climbed up onto the stone, standing next to Remus. "It's awfully windy, and it looks like rain…"

"…I don't care. Remus, let's stop beating around the bush," Andromeda said. "There are some loose ends with us that we need to tie up."

"I couldn't agree more," said Remus, taking Andromeda's hand in his. "Where's the Malfoy ring?"

Andromeda smiled and put her hand over Remus' hand. "I gave it back. I can't marry that twit," she confessed. Remus nodded understandingly.

"Andromeda, I have a confession to make—"

"—you were never engaged to a girl from Beauxbatons," Andromeda finished. Remus gave her an odd look. "I suspected it all along. I was hoping I could get you to admit that first. Sirius and James were actually in on it too."

"And they didn't tell me?"

"I told them not to, I told them that all would reveal itself in due course," Andromeda said. "And that leads me to another point. I want to apologize for leading you on to believe that I really was engaged to Lucius. I was, but not of my own choosing. I am so sorry…"

"…please don't apologize. It was my fault for lying to you," Remus said. Andromeda looked him in the eye.

"Why did you lie to me? If you didn't want to go out with me, I would have—"

"—I wanted more than anything to be your boyfriend, Andromeda. You're the only woman I've ever felt like this for, and will always feel like this for," Remus confessed. Andromeda suddenly felt like she did that night on the bridge before Remus lied.

"Then why did you LIE to me?" asked Andromeda.

"If I could tell you, I would in a heartbeat. I was protecting you," said Remus. Andromeda thought to herself a moment. An idea suddenly popped into her head. A random one, but it connected all the different details together. The avoiding a relationship, the skeptic attitudes around the full moon, the monthly illnesses…

Andromeda decided to just throw it out there to see what would happen. "Remus, are you a werewolf? And I want the truth this time."

Remus looked at Andromeda with a look of fear. Andromeda realized that it was true. So, Remus Lupin was a werewolf.

"Yes, I am a werewolf, Andromeda. I am a danger to you and to every student at Hogwarts, and that is why we can't see each other," he said, before he jumped down from the rock and began walking away without a second word.

"Remus! WAIT!" called Andromeda. She forgot what she was standing on, and fell off the rock with a holler. Remus turned on his heel and sped back towards her, helping her up. "Oh damnit! I think I twisted my ankle!"

That was when it began raining. Andromeda shrieked. "This sucks!"

"Let's go in here!" Remus said, supporting Andromeda as he led her to an old shack that used to hold Quidditch equipment, but was now empty. Remus guided her inside and shut the door. He looked out the window. "It's pretty bad out there, we might be stuck awhile," he muttered.

"Remus, you didn't notice it, did you?"

Remus sat down next to Andromeda, who was seated on the floor Indian-style. "Notice what?"

"I know your big secret, and yet I fully trusted you to bring me here," Andromeda said, smiling. Remus leaned in closer to Andromeda. "And I know your secret, and I still love you with all my heart and soul."

Remus didn't smile, but rather stared more into her eyes. "I love you too," he mumbled. Andromeda threw her arms gently around Remus neck and kissed him. Remus returned the kiss and put his arms around Andromeda' waist. Andromeda got that feeling she'd gotten on the bridge, only ten times as intense. Once the kiss ended, Andromeda ran a finger along Remus' cheek, tracing a scar he'd gotten from the most recent moon.

"I know a potion you could use," she muttered. Remus stopped her from continuing with another tender kiss. Again, Andromeda reacted, running her fingers through Remus' hair and pressing her body against his. In the back of her mind, she secretly counted the seconds until Remus pulled away from her with another excuse, ending this second perfect moment.

But he didn't pull away. Instead, his hands went lower and lower still, until they were up under Andromeda's shirt, caressing her breasts (or, still, lack thereof, although she'd grown a fair bit over the course of the school year). Andromeda pulled Remus' cape off and began kissing his neck and shoulder as he continued to feel her and begin to undo her bra. Andromeda heard the rain patter on furiously outside and felt Remus' warm, steady breath on her neck, and she realized that this was going to be it.

And so it was.

* * *

A short while later, Andromeda and Remus, naked and lying under Remus' cape (acting as a blanket now), were lying on the floor of the shack. Remus had fallen asleep (did she really tire him out that quickly…and was that a good thing?) but Andromeda couldn't rest if she tried. Her head was placed on Remus' chest. As asleep as he might have been, Remus' hand still rhythmically ran gently up and down the back of Andromeda's neck.

It was such a beautiful experience. It was as if the world had disappeared and she and Remus were flying over space in the little shack where they'd just made love. Remus confessed that it was his first time too, and Andromeda figured as much. But still, the feelings she had inside her and out were breathtaking. When Remus finally went inside her, it did hurt a little bit, making Andromeda gasp. But as they kept going, the world melted away again, and it was just Remus and herself, suspended in time. It made her wonder if Bella's first time was as poetic and wonderful.

Suddenly, it occurred to her….Bella! Andromeda realized that she'd never taken any birth control potion (she would've never suspected today of all days to be the day she lost her virginity)! Andromeda's heart raced as she realized that she had been as stupid as Bellatrix was. Looking out the window, the rain was still pouring considerably, but the sky was much darker. No doubt it was probably close to 8 o'clock at night…

"Remus! REMUS!" Andromeda quickly whispered, shaking her lover awake. Remus groaned.

"Uhn? 'Dromeda…what is it?"

"Remus we need to get back to the castle!" Andromeda said, standing up and making a dive for her clothes Remus quickly wrapped his cape around himself, but didn't make any move for his other garments.

"What? 'Dromeda, let's stay out here all night…_lumos_…" he muttered, making his wand light.

"It's past curfew, and we're BOTH prefects!" Andromeda hissed, tossing Remus' pants at him. They landed on his shoulder, and Remus took them.

"Andromeda, you're right," Remus said, coming back to his senses.

"And there's something else, Remus," Andromeda said, thinking back to Valentine's Day and how she found Bella crying in the corner of the abandoned bookstore. "If we don't do something very soon, I think we could be in trouble…"


	24. The Last Time

Despite her injured ankle, Andromeda dragged Remus by his wrist back up the hill to Hogwarts, and realized that she couldn't get in the front entrance without being caught. "Shit…" she muttered.

Remus, still a little dazed and dizzy from his first time having sex, pointed to his right. "I know another way back in, but it's quite a long way around," he admitted. He led Andromeda to a spot covered by a large branch that had fallen during the storm. "Okay, maybe not…"

"We're stuck out here!" Andromeda moaned, looking around. The rain was so deafeningly loud and fell in sheets, neither Andromeda nor Remus could hear one another. Remus knew that he really needed to get himself and Andromeda out of the rain before they both got deathly ill. There WAS one other place he knew about.

"Come! To the Whomping Willow!" Remus shouted, grabbing Andromeda's hand and running with her back down the hill.

"The WHAT?! Remus, are you bonkers?! We could get killed!" Andromeda yelled right back. As the approached the tree, Remus picked up a rather large rock and hurled it art a knothole in the tree. As soon as the rock hit, the tree was paralyzed momentarily. Andromeda was awed. "Wow…good aim," she muttered. Remus dragged her inside the tree, where there was a small catacomb leading elsewhere. Andromeda was curious about this place. Remus led her down inside the tunnel, re-lit his wand, and began guiding her along the secret passageway.

"What is this place, and how do you know about it?" Andromeda asked. Remus waited a moment to answer, until they were a little deeper in the tunnel.

"This is where I go during my monthly transformations," he answered. "So I don't harm anybody. Sirius, James, and Peter have recently started coming here with me to keep me company, now that they've all mastered their Animagi…"

"Animagi?" asked Andromeda. "You mean, James and Sirius are Animagi?"

Remus nodded with a smile on his face. "Yes. James is a stag and Sirius is a big black dog," he said. "As a wolf, I only harm humans during the full moon. As animals, my friends keep me in check."

Andromeda nodded with interest as Remus led her around a few twists and turns, then up some man-made stairs into a large, poorly-built, yet dry room. The pattering of the heavy rain wasn't as loud here as it was outside, yet it was still visible. Andromeda suddenly knew where she was. "The Shrieking Shack!" she identified. Remus smiled and nodded. She looked at the dusty floor. Paw prints from the recent full moon (it had been a week ago) still lined the floor, along with some very small paw prints (the creature could have been a rat, but no bigger) and some hoof prints as well. The Marauders had indeed been here.

Remus looked around and explained things to Andromeda further. "This house was built for me, and the Willow was planted for me, by Dumbledore. He thought, that as long as extra precautions were taken, I could come to school here like I so wanted to."

"That's a very noble thing Dumbledore did. Bringing a werewolf here is very risky business," Andromeda said. Remus sat down beside Andromeda and put his arm around her shoulder. Andromeda leaned her head on Remus' shoulder in response.

"Indeed it was." Remus paused a moment, then added. "I am indebted to him for it."

Andromeda silently took in the small, yet cozy room. This was the place Remus went, when Andromeda was in her room, wondering about if Remus was with his fiancée on a date or something along those lines. She never would have suspected that Remus wasn't even human at that time.

"Looks like we're staying here the whole night, or at least until the rain lets up," Remus said. Andromeda looked at him awkwardly. "What?" he asked.

"I'm scared," Andromeda said. "I was thinking about Bella just now. You know…I could be…pregnant, now too, you know."

Remus' look of satisfaction quickly morphed to one of horror. "You're right," he said, suddenly turning pale and afraid, like he was before they'd had sex earlier that afternoon. Since then, up until now, Remus had been beet red.

"I'm not going to make Snape abort it like Bella did," said Andromeda, shaking. "I'm going to have the baby no matter what you say!" Her voice began trembling. Remus stood up, taking Andrmeda's hands in his.

"Hold on! Who said you even are? There's a very simple spell that can detect a pregnancy from conception!" Remus said.

"How do you know?" asked Andromeda, standing up nervously.

"I read about it. It's a harmless charm, and it's 100 percent accurate even at conception. Standing right there," Remus said, pointing to a spot about 8 feet away from him. Andromeda stood where he pointed. "Lift up your arms at your sides," Remus instructed. Andromeda grew increasingly uncomfortable, remembering the night she saw Bellatrix have her abortion…and those screams were as bad as the echoes of the ones Professor Celestia had bottled in her class when she demonstrated the effects of the Cruciatus Curse.

Remus smiled as he raised his wand. "Don't be afraid. Stay very calm, or else it might not be accurate…"

Andromeda took a deep breath and did her best not to shake. Remus gave her another tender, reassuring smile as he again pointed his wand. He said a crisp and loud incantation, _"__Infantis __chercum__!"_Andromeda wanted to gasp as a black ring similar to Snape's ring was drawn around her hips by Remus. Once the ring was closed, Andromeda felt nothing. Then again, neither did Bella for a few seconds…

Suddenly, before Andromeda felt anything, the ring turned red, and then faded away. Andromeda looked up at Remus, who was grinning.

"You're okay. Red means no baby," he said. Andromeda sighed with relief.

"We got lucky," she said, running into Remus' waiting arms.

"Yes we did. We need to be more careful next time," Remus muttered.

Suddenly, Andromeda thought of something. It pierced her heart to think of it…but what had just happened between them? This morning they had been at odds, this afternoon they'd had sex, and now they'd just narrowly avoided having a baby! Talk about moving too fast! But something inside Andromeda told her that while she loved Remus, something about their relationship didn't exactly fit. What she'd been through the past school year was incredibly bizarre, and all Andromeda wanted to do was catch her breath. Was Remus really the right one for her? For while their afternoon in the broom shack by the lake was amazing, it still…lacked something. Andromeda couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was still missing from their relationship, something even a guy as wonderful as Remus Lupin couldn't fulfill.

Remus saw the look on her face. "You think something's missing too, don't you? Something is empty between us?" he asked. Andromeda looked up at him. Was this man a Seer?

"Yes," Andromeda muttered.

"I felt it too, actually," said Remus. "What do you think it means?"

Andromeda thought long and hard about this. "Our relationship is just so…so complicated! I mean, this morning I would never have dreamed I'd be making love to you a few hours later! You…you still lied to me—"

"—I thought we were past this," Remus interrupted.

"Even under the best intentions, you lied to me, Remus. I don't think I can forget that."

"So you won't forgive me?"

"I forgave you long ago, Remus," Andromeda assured. "But in a perfect relationship, two people have to feel comfortable telling each other everything there is to know about each other! I had to figure out for myself why you kept avoiding me!"

Remus was silent a moment. "Andromeda, even thought you know about me now, I'm still dangerous to you."

"I know that," said Andromeda. "But that's not the problem—"

"—it's PART of the problem!" Remus snapped.

"I DON'T think so!" Andromeda shot back. She felt tears come to her eyes. Remus put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You're right. We love each other, but we're not right for each other," Remus said.

"Exactly," Andromeda said. "So much has happened to us, and I don't want to be feigning engagements and finding underground secret tunnels for the rest of my life, Remus. The thing is…"

"…we don't feel secure in each other," said Remus. "We don't trust each other enough to be soul mates."

"Yes," agreed Andromeda. She looked at Remus a moment.

"So…this is it?" Remus asked. Andromeda looked at her feet.

"I think so," Andromeda confirmed. "But we can still be close friends, right?"

"Of course. After all, you have my virginity!" Remus said, laughing. Andromeda laughed too.

"As you have mine!" she said. Remus ran a finger over her eyebrow.

"I'm sorry I put you through all this," he said. "I feel so guilty."

"No, don't say that. We put each other through this," Andromeda said. "We're both wiser now, and that's the way it should be."

"You're soul mate is out there somewhere waiting for you," Remus promised, taking Andromeda into a tight embrace. Andromeda sighed.

"And I'm sure somewhere out there, there's a girl who can't wait to meet you and be your wife," Andromeda sighed romantically, placing a hand on her stomach. She pulled herself out of the embrace and listened. The sounds of rain were gone. "It stopped raining!"

"I bet we can sneak back into school now," Remus said. Andromeda nodded and went down the stairs. Remus lingered a moment, looking around the Shack.

"See you in three weeks," Remus muttered.

"Remus? YOU COMING?"

"Yeah!" And with that, Remus went down the stairs back out into the open air.


	25. Into the Darkness

On April 30th, the eve of Beltane, Cissy remained awake later than anyone in her room. Tonight was the night she would find the 'friend' who would finally solve the mystery of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the orphan boy who would rule all one day (at least according to him). Cissy remained clothed and packed a small rucksack with her wand, a bottle of Polyjuice Potion with one of Andromeda's hairs in it (in case she was caught by a teacher trying to sneak down to Hogsmeade, at least she'd look like someone who was old enough to go down there), and a few other items that would help her on her trip. She didn't plan on staying long.

At 11:45 in the evening, Cissy finally felt the coast was clear, and she snuck easily out of Slytherin house and walked silently down the hall, up the stairs, and easily made her way towards the main entrance.

"Hold on a second, Miss Black," said a male voice from behind Cissy has she walked. She cautiously turned around to find Remus Lupin standing (prefect badge and all) with Ophelia Elsinore from Ravenclaw beside him (after what happened with Andromeda and Hugo Mince, the teachers decided that as long as prefects patrolled two at a time, they didn't have to stay with their houses). "Now, why are you out of bed so late, young lady?" he asked.

"I'm in detention. I'm just running an errand for Professor Flitwick," Cissy lied, holding out the rucksack. Remus studied Cissy for a moment and nodded.

"You should have a pass," Ophelia scolded. "Run along before someone else sees you."

"Yes ma'am," Cissy nodded, running further away from Remus and Ophelia. Remus still looked a little suspicious of 12-year-old Cissy wandering the halls alone, without a pass, at nearly midnight….

Meanwhile, Cissy walked a bit faster, hoping not t bump into another set of prefects. How come the hallway to the gate seemed a LOT longer all of a sudden? Cissy's long blonde hair trailed behind her as she picked up speed and began a bit of a run. She panted as she finally saw the light at the end of the hallway, but, sadly, another voice stopped her.

"Cissy! What is THIS?" Cissy turned around and stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't bump into a prefect, she bumped into Andromeda the prefect! Great!

"Doesn't matter! I have detention with Flitwick and am running an errand for him!"

"Liar," Andromeda hissed. Her partner this time around was the male Ravenclaw prefect, Duncan Inverness. "I know for a fact that you don't have detention tonight! WHY ARE YOU LEAVING THE CASTLE?" Andromeda asked again.

"It doesn't matter!"

"On the contrary, I'm a prefect!" said Andromeda. "I don't care if you're my sister, you're NOT making a break for it! What's in the bag?" she demanded. Cissy hugged the rucksack closer to her chest.

"I'm not telling!"

Andromeda rolled her eyes and turned to Duncan. "Could you please find Remus? He'll help me take her down," she said.

"Why do you want Remus here? You broke up with him!" Cissy accused. Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"This has nothing to do with him! Why are you making a break for it? Are you running away?" she asked. Cissy shook her head.

"I'm not doing anything wrong!" she said. Andromeda rolled her eyes.

"A likely story, BELLATRIX!" Andromeda said. Cissy pulled her wand out of her bag and waved it at Andromeda.

"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"

Andromeda suddenly became stiff as stone, and fell to the floor with a crash. Cissy laughed to herself and ran along her merry way. Luckily, Cissy's 2nd year status and lack of skill with a wand made it easy for Andromeda to break herself out of the jinx. She did so and then decided to quietly follow her sister from a distance. Where she was heading, it must have been really important to her…

"Andromeda? What are you doing?" Andromeda didn't get four steps before she heard Bella's voice from behind her. Shit.

"What are YOU doing? I may be your little sister, but I can still report you to Professor Celestia!" Andromeda threatened.

"Where the hell is Cissy going?" asked Bella. "She's been acting funny all afternoon."

"I think she might be heading down to Hogsmeade, why, I don't know," Andromeda said. Bella and Andromeda exchanged worried glances and nodded. Bella then rolled her eyes.

"Merlin, I want to go to bed! But I'm going with you. Rodolphus told me that there was going to be some strange happenings in Hogsmeade tonight…"

Andromeda got her wand out. "Well, come on, before Cissy gets into trouble!" She looked at Bella, who armed herself as well. As different as they were, Andromeda knew that they were both united by one thing: Cissy. Cissy was both Andromeda's and Bella's little sister, and neither girl wanted to see her come to harm.

"Come on, we'd better beat her there," Bella said. She and Andromeda took off into the darkness after Cissy, just before Remus Lupin and Ted Tonks came upon the scene and saw the girls rush off into the night…

* * *

Cissy wandered into the little village a few minutes past midnight. The town was completely black. Cissy wondered where the 'friend' she was supposed to meet was expecting her. He WAS expecting her, right?

Cissy suddenly caught sight of a light glowing in the space above The Three Broomsticks pub. It was the only light in on in the small town of Hogsmeade.

"This has to be it," Cissy muttered. _"__Nox__,"_ she muttered, turning off the light of her wand. She slowly snuck her way inside the pub. The downstairs of the pub was darker even than the outside. It was scary. Cissy stumbled over a few chairs in order to get to the staircase that led to the upper floor of the pub.

Once on the top step, Cissy decided that it would be wise to sneak in and make sure it was safe. After all, she only knew two or three defense spells, and she was completely alone. The nearest safe place was Hagrid's hut, and that was all the way up the hill…

Cissy quietly pushed open the door just enough to see within. She sat on the top step and peered inside. Inside were a few older men sitting around a table drinking out of gold goblets. One she recognized as Lucius Malfoy, Andromeda's (very handsome) ex-fiance, another sitting near Lucius was Rodolphus Lestrange, Bella's boyfriend. Cissy felt that no matter who else was there, those two men would bring her to no harm.

"So, will the Dark Lord come himself tonight?" asked a man with a long face.

Lucius shook his head. "No, he will not. He only told me that we are waiting on a young pureblood with a feisty soul and a true Slytherin heart."

"What should this young fellow have to do with us? Is the Dark Lord recruiting him?"

"Can't say, but this new person was the one who's been tracking Him through his clues hidden by the Chamber of Secrets and under his old bed…"

Cissy understood now that this 'pureblood with a true Slytherin heart" was her. Intrigued, Cissy opened the door a little wider.

"Should he not be here by now, Lucius?"

"How should I know?!" Lucius snapped. Rodolphus sat back in his chair.

"Ease up, Dolohov. He's been a bit down in the mouth ever since Andromeda dumped him for a werewolf!" Rodolphus laughed. Cissy was confused. Andromeda wasn't seeing anyone right now...and who was a werewolf? Surely not anyone Cissy knew. Lucius threw his goblet across the table at Rodolphus.

"Shut up, you ass!" Lucius yelled. "She was my last chance of marrying into the House of Black!"

"Not exactly," said Rodolphus, wiping firewhiskey off his shirt. "There's still little Narcissa…"

Cissy giggled. Lucius marry her? How wonderful!

"Hardly, she's eight years my junior!" Lucius snubbed. Cissy's heart sank when she heard it. She gritted her teeth together and grunted in dismay.

Lucius continued. "And besides, Andromeda's the most attractive of the sisters Black. If she dumped me for a shabby half-breed, then how the hell—"

"—WHERE THE HELL IS THIS NEW GUY?!" Dolohov yelled impatiently. "I want to get some shut-eye!"

Cissy was taken by surprise by this outburst, and she yelped a little too loudly. Rodolphus and Lucius sprang to their feet and went to the door. Cissy wanted to run, but she stayed frozen where she sat as Lucius opened the door. He looked down at her and smiled. The smile seemed kind enough, but something about it made Cissy afraid.

"Little Narcissa Black…can you believe how close we came to being in-laws?" Lucius said, his voice a bit more comforting. Cissy let her guard down just a little bit. She shook her head. "Why aren't you in bed, little one?"

"I….I found some poems, and they told me to come here…" Cissy explained, handing Rodolphus the poem she found under the sink with the snake on the faucet. Rodolphus read it and handed it to Lucius, who looked almost unbelieving.

"So you did," Lucius nodded. He held out a hand, and Cissy took it. Lucius helped her to her feet and guided her inside, Rodolphus closing the door after him. Lucius then picked Cissy up like she were a rag doll and sat her on the table. "This is Narcissa Aurora Black, gentlemen," Lucius introduced. Cissy felt herself begin to shake.

"Oh, don't be afraid," Lucius said. "We're your friends here," he assured. "Say, Cissy…do you want to hear a story…?"


	26. The Midnight Hour

In the dark, shadowy new-moon night, it was pitch black. The only light in the midnight hour was the light that came from two lit wands, two wands that appeared to be dancing in the darkness while their two owners rushed down the hill towards Hogsmeade to save Cissy from wherever the hell she was going. The air was rather chilly for a mid-spring evening, Andromeda could see her breath fly past the dim light of her wand as she panted, barely able to keep up with Bella.

"Oh for the love of Merlin, hurry UP!" Bella whined. Andromeda grunted. Bella had been acting a LOT more aggressive and bitchy since the day Severus Snape performed the abortion spell on her. She wondered if it was Bella falling victim to the side-effects of the spell…

"I'm COMING! I'm COMING!" Andromeda panted. "Maybe we should get Ted or Remus to come with us in case—Oof!" Andromeda screamed as she tripped over something and began tumbling down the stepper side of the hill. She just couldn't stop herself as she fell over, and over and…over. "Be-LAAAAA!!!!" Andromeda screamed, breaking the silence of the night. Bella rolled her eyes and stopped to look behind her, only to have Andromeda roll right at her ankles, causing Bella to fall over backward and begin tumbling right after Andromeda.

"I'll….KIILLLL-ILLL-ILLL YOU, ANDROOOO--!" Bella managed to scream out as the two girls fell quicker and quicker down the hill. Andromeda felt herself go limp like a ragdoll, deciding that it would hurt worse to fight the hill.

Finally, as the girls hit the bottom of the hill, Bella came to a stop first, only to have Andromeda tumble right over onto Bella and use her as a stopper. Bella moaned and sat up quickly, flinging a barely conscious Andromeda about 4 feet away.

"THAT'S the least of what I'm going to do to you if I feel this in the morning, you clumsy troll!" Bella hissed.

"Shut up," Andromeda moaned. "Did we fall near Hogsmeade, or do we have to go around?"

Bella re-lit her wand and looked around. "Oh shit, we're going to have to go around for about a half a kilometer," she said. "Nice going, you oaf," she muttered.

"Come ON!" Andromeda said, yanking Bella to her feet. "We have to get Cissy! Merlin knows what trouble she's getting in!" Andromeda muttered to her wand, relighting the path in front of her.

The girls wandered almost aimlessly for about ten minutes until Andromeda heard a rustling in the bushes. Both girls stopped dead in their tracks.

"What's that?" asked Andromeda.

"Oh honestly, it's probably just a snake or a nightcrawler of some kind, don't be such an infant!" said Bella. "I've been here seven years and I know these grounds more than anyone in my year!"

"Yeah, because you've slept with half the seventh years in every possible place on the grounds!" Andromeda added, speaking low enough so Bella wouldn't hear.

The rustling got louder. Andromeda rolled her eyes, trying to keep up with Bella (her legs were skinnier and longer, and therefore Bella was a lot swifter in the tall grass, whereas poor Andromeda nearly needed a machete to make a clear pathway for herself). Suddenly, Bella shrieked. Andromeda rushed to catch up to Bella. When she saw what stood in front of Bellatrix, making her scream, Andromeda bit her lip. A huge Centaur stood right in front of her.

A centaur? Why? Centaurs never left the Forbidden Forest from what Andromeda knew. The centaur ignored her and stared at Bella with huge eyes and a malicious look. Suddenly, it occurred to Andromeda…it was a boggart. Ha! Bellatrix' boggart was a centaur?

Andromeda let her wand go out and she pointed it at the boggart. She had never been taught the spell, but Remus had showed it to her last year (in case she needed it). Andromeda got a funny image in her head and said '_Riddikulus_!" Bella gave her an odd look, but the centaur quickly turned pink and it's hair became lined with lacy white bows. The centaur looked extremely confused and began shaking. Andromeda shouted he incantation again, and the boggart grew swan wings and ribbons became intertwined between its legs, tripping it.

"Laugh, Bella! Laugh!" Andromeda said, forcing herself to laugh a loud belly laugh.

Bella, still afraid, uttered a rather pathetic kind of laugh, but nonetheless, the boggart scampered away before anything else could be done to it. Andromeda relit her wand and touched Bella shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Bella gave Andromeda an odd look.

"Get your hand off me," Bella hissed, pushing herself through more tall grass. Andromeda growled. Bella was such a bitch! She'd potentially just saved her sisters life!

Well, she did have some consolation…she could tell the whole school that Bella's worst fear was a rather benign form of a centaur.

After another few minutes of wandering around the hill, Bella finally saw a very very sparse lights coming from the Three Broomstick pub in Hosgmeade. Bella turned to Andromeda and began instructing her like a general would his infantry.

"We're searching the pub first…I don't see any other—"

"BELLA!" Andromeda screamed, pointing over Bella's shoulder. Someone was sneaking up behind her.

"AH!" Bella couldn't scream very long, as whoever had just grabbed her (a hooded man in a mask).

"What are two little girls such as yourselves doing out of bed at this hour?" asked the scary hooded man. On his robes was an odd and scary mark…a snake slithering and sliding out of the mouth of a skull.

"LET MY SISTER GO!" demanded Andromeda. "We're just looking for—"

"_IMPERIO_!" shouted the man, his wand pointed at Andromeda. Andromeda felt no change in her body, other than the fact that she no longer could speak, and she felt the odd sensation that she was attached to puppet strings. "I think a little visit with the others will do you good…maybe they can decide whether or not you were spying on us…"

"We're NOT!" Bella screamed, fighting. The hooded man was still too much for Bella, and he silenced her by doing a silencing charm on her.

The hooded man smiled, his crooked and dirty smile chilling Andromeda. "Come along now, girls!" he said. Andromeda felt herself move unwillingly as she was guided by the Imperius Curse upon her to the Three Broomsticks, Bella and the hooded man right behind her…

* * *

"Now, stay in here until the others will see you!" said the hooded man, hurling Andromeda and Bella into a closet in the downstairs section of the Three Broomsticks. The man held out a hand and muttered "_Accio__, wands_!" Bella's and Andromeda's wands were taken from them as the man slammed the door and locked it. Andromeda ran to the door and banged on it.

"DAMNIT!" Andromeda cried.

"Don't waste your energy, we don't have our wands," Bella said. "No chance."

"Says who?" Andromeda panted, trying to break down. "Aren't you going to fight?! They are probably the ones who have Cissy!!"

"So?" Bella asked without emotion.

"SO?! That man, whoever he was, performed _Imperio_ on me! He could've killed Cissy if she crossed his path! And who are these 'others'?! MORE OF THEM? Bella, our lives, not to mention the life of our baby sister is in danger! HELP ME!"

"What could we POSSIBLY do?" asked Bella.

"Apparate!" Andromeda said. "Apparate us back to Hogwarts, and we can tell Dumbledore! I'm a prefect…we won't get in trouble, I swear!" Andromeda said, holding out her hand.

"No," said Bella.

"I…I can't believe it!" said Andromeda. "How DARE you not even TRY to save your sister?" she asked, her voice raised.

Bella bit her lip. There was a reason Bella didn't bother putting up a fight. She knew who the hooded man was. She could identify him immediately. It was Yaxley, a friend of Rodolphus'. Once Rodolphus (who was no doubt with Yaxley upstairs) knew who she was, she'd be released, and Cissy could be released to her care. But as for Andromeda, who'd actually betrayed Lucius Malfoy out of a wedding and inheritance, maybe the Death Eaters (which is what they called their gang) wouldn't be so easy on her.

But then again, it was every girl for themselves in a world like this one of rich pureblood wizarding families. If Andromeda couldn't look out for herself, it was a wonder she hadn't been either disposed of or disinherited already.

But Andromeda still struggled to open that damn door. An hour at the very least must have passed before Yaxley opened the door again. "We're ready for you both…"

Bella and Andromeda each had their hands tied behind their backs. Bella was serene and went quietly, but Yaxley had to put a silencing spell over Andromeda before he even brought them out of the closet into the pub and began guiding them up the stairs.

Once at the stop of the stairs, Yaxley opened the door. Behind it was the sight Bella had expected. The Death Eater men were seated around a table. Cissy, unbound and seemingly unworried, was sitting on the table, listening dreamily as Lucius talked with her. Andromeda had ceased her struggle…

"Oh Cissy, you are quite witty for a teenager!" Lucius said, a genuine smile (very rare) spreading across his face. Cissy giggled and blushed. Bella wanted to barf. No one saw them enter, and Yaxley kept he and his captives hidden in the shadows to await a lull in the conversation.

"Well, I am quite the charming aficionado, you know, a natural Black trait!" Cissy said. Lucius laughed again.

Andromeda blinked. Aficionado?

But her eyes were elsewhere. Rodolphus Lestrange wasn't at the table of strange men. He was guarding two young captives of his own. Young men. Andromeda could see almost instantly that they were Remus Lupin and Ted Tonks.


	27. Ted's White Gorilla

Andromeda knew this wasn't good at all. She kept her eyes on Remus and Ted, under the close watch of Rodolphus Lestrange. Both men, unlike the girls, were silenced by actual gags covering their mouths. While Ted was bound by ropes at the hands only, Remus was apparently subjected to more humiliation by having a rope tied around his neck like a dog's collar, the other end of the rope was in Rodolphus' right hand. It occurred to Andromeda that they knew Remus was a werewolf, and that was why he was bound like a dog at his captor's foot. Both young men looked defeated, like there was no way out.

"Ah, Lucius!" said a dark-skinned man. "Yaxley has two more for us! It seems Beltane Eve is the night for spies!" Lucius got up from his chair. Remus and Ted tried to lean over to see the two new prisoners. Cissy leaned over too, and gasped deeply.

"Bella? Dromeda?" she asked.

Remus and Ted looked at each other worriedly as they heard Cissy identify Andromeda as a prisoner. Lucius grinned evilly as he approached the girls. Rodolphus looked curious.

"Bellatrix? What are you…?" he began to say, but stopped himself, remembering that Cissy was his girlfriend's sister.

"Well, well, the two elder sisters of the House of Black are here to join the party!" Lucius said. "Ironically, both are ex-fiancees of mine…fancy that!" Lucius said. Rodolphus cleared his throat from across the room, aiming everyone turn and look at him.

"Let Bellatrix go, Yaxley! She my girl," he demanded. Yaxley looked at Lucius, who nodded. Bella was released, and she ran right past Cissy to Rodolphus' side. Rodolphus lightly kissed her cheek as she joined him. Bella was caught off guard by the kiss and stepped backward onto Ted's hand. Lucius then began running his fingers through Andromeda's hair.

"Andromeda Aries Black. Your sister is quite the little charmer, don't you know? I do believe I'm growing quite…fond of her," he said. Cissy grinned and sighed as if in love.

Andromeda's determination let her break from of the silencing spell as she snarled like a rabid dog. "Keep your hands OFF my baby sister! Don't you DARE do anything to her!"

"Temper! Temper! No need for such primitive behavior, Andromeda!" Lucius said.

"Let us go! All of us, even the two over by Rodolphus," Andromeda warned.

Lucius chuckled. "Do you honestly think a meager attempt such as that will convince me to release you and the boys?"

Andromeda looked over Lucius' shoulder at Ted and Remus, who appeared to be taking advantage of Rodolphus being distracted, and Ted was inching towards the two wands in Rodolphus' coat pocket…

"You know, I could kill you right here and now, just for breaking off our betrothal!" Lucius warned.

"You wouldn't spill pure blood," Andromeda called Lucius' bluff. "Such a rare thing to find nowadays, even in a ex flame, eh, Lucius? What a waste!"

Lucius nodded. "Quite so, quite so," he said. "Pure blood is a terrible thing to waste. Why, it'd be like dumping water out of a canteen in the desert! But then again, if I spill yours, it wouldn't be MY wastefulness, now would it?"

"Huh?" asked Andromeda, a twinge of fear beginning to break her confidence.

"You're just like Sirius Black," Lucius said, grabbing Andromeda forcefully by the chin and forcing her to look in his eyes. "I can see it in your eyes: the same glimmer of rebellion and infidelity he has in his—"

Andromeda jerked her head so Lucius would let go of her chin. "—I consider that an honor!"

"You're destined to be a blood-traitor. I know it," said Lucius. "So really, killing you would be nothing more than…pruning the family tree, shall we say?" Andromeda hissed like an animal, struggling against Yaxley again. "You're face won't be on the Black Family tapestry for much longer," Lucius prophesized.

Suddenly, an explosion of red sparks, along with a joint cry of "Stupefy!" sent Rodolphus and Bellatrix hurdling across the room at Yaxley, who, in defense, let go of Andromeda and ducked along with Lucius. Andromeda took advantage of Remus and Ted's spell to grab her own wand out of Yaxley's pocket and run to Ted and Remus' side. The four other men immediately got up and began shooting spells at the three challengers. Andromeda immediately thought of Cissy, but in the crossfire, Lucius had actually thought of her first and grabbed her off the table, hiding her behind his back. Cissy shook with fear, but the fear was gone as soon as Lucius shielded her. He himself didn't join the fight. Rodolphus and Bellatrix turned out to be cowards amid the fray, running downstairs to avoid being caught in the crossfire themselves.

Remus managed to knock out the dark-skinned man. Ted and Andromeda worked together to put another in a full Body-Bind combined with a Deep Sleep Charm. Remus managed to disarm and stupefy the third, and the last man was easily overpowered by the three young wizards, and when they stupefied him, the force sent him hurling out the window. The three then looked around the room. Lucius was raising his wand. Andromeda held hers up.

_"__Expelliarmus__!"_ and with one little spark, Lucius' wand flew up in the air, and Ted caught it. _"Stupefy!"_

"Nice one," remarked Ted, winking at Andromeda. She smiled in return.

"Thanks!" the trio looked around the room. Cissy was brooding over Lucius' unconscious state. Everyone else in the room was also temporarily knocked out.

"They won't stay like this forever…" Ted muttered. "When they wake up, they'll be pissed and come after us no matter where we are."

She leaned over and whispered in Remus' ear next. "We need to get a message to the castle…"

"I've never tried this before, but you can send messages via Patronus…"

"Mine's not strong enough yet!" Andromeda cried. Ted looked at Remus and nodded.

"I'll send mine. Thank Merlin I have no life. Remus and I read up on how to do that…let's see if I can conjure one!"

"Try your damndest!" Remus said. "The first time almost never works!" Ted ran to the broken window and muttered a long line of things Andromeda couldn't hear. She wanted to get to her sister.

"No!" Remus said, holding Andromeda back. "Don't go near them!"

Andromeda obeyed unwillingly. She watched as Ted struggled for what seemed like ages, every time he wasn't able to produce an animal. Not many fifth years could. Remus could, but other than him, only six or seven students in 5th, 6th, and 7th years could produce a lasting animal Patronus. Andromeda squinted to see what animal was emerging each time before dying out…a lemur? A chimp? No, Andromeda could see that it was a gorilla. But the gorilla never lasted. Ted was getting tired.

"Come on, Ted! You can do it!"

Ted turned to look at Andromeda, and he smiled and winked at her. Andromeda felt her heart flutter as she winked back. Ted blushed and turned back, muttering again. Suddenly, a full-grown ape emerged from the wand, looking proud and strong, and Ted muttered his message:

_"Trouble at the Three Broomsticks.__ Need help quickly!"_ Ted said, before waving his wand and sending the ape off towards Hogwarts, which was barely visible out the window. Ted, his own jaw open in surprise, watched as the white illuminated gorilla ran up the hill to deliver the message. Andromeda ran to Ted and hugged him. Remus joined them, taking a second to get the rope off his neck before joining the group.

"Incredible, Ted!" he praised the boy.

"I…I thought I had a salmon…." Ted muttered. "Why was that a gorilla?"

"Oh, they can change," said Remus. "Maybe if you've had a recent trauma or a change of heart…"

Ted looked briefly at Andromeda when Remus mentioned 'change of heart.'

Andromeda suddenly let go of the group hug and looked at Cissy, who was crying over Lucius' body. She couldn't take it anymore, and she ran over to Cissy's side of the room.

"Andromeda, NO!" Remus hissed. But it was too late. Andromeda laid a comforting hand on Cissy, but she shoved it aside.

"Go away! You killed him!"

"He's only stunned," Andromeda assured. "But he's a mean man, we need to get you out of here—"

"—no! I love him and want to marry him!" Cissy shouted through her tears. Andromeda bit her lip.

"You'll move on, I promise. But Cissy, this man is not for you," Andromeda assured. Cissy growled.

"You, get out of here! I hate you and I hope Lucius is right! I hope you get your face burned off the tapestry at Grimmauld Place and never call yourself a Black again!" Cissy cried.

Andromeda felt tears come to her own eyes hearing those stinging words from Cissy. "Cissy…"

"…my NAME is Narcissa!" Cissy cried. Suddenly, she was shoved aside as Lucius sprang to his feet, back to his very conscious state. At the same time, Yaxley came too as well. Remus screamed at Andromeda to move away, but it was too late.

Lucius grabbed her wand and took Andromeda in his tight grip, shoving the wand into her neck. Andromeda panted for breath. The surprise attack had knocked the wind out of her. Yaxley, finding himself wandless from the first counterattack, summoned Remus' wand out of his own hand and brought it to his own. Andromeda didn't say anything, but she noticed Ted slip silently into the shadows, invisible…

"Well, I must say, you three are quite the dualists!" Lucius said. Remus took three steps towards Lucius. Andromeda felt Lucius drag her a step back and dig the wand deeper into her neck, so deep that Andromeda couldn't swallow for fear of the wand ripping her skin open at the windpipe. She felt it even harder to breath. She noticed Cissy made no move to her sister's defense. She actually smiled, seeing Lucius safely on his feet.

"ANY SUDDEN MOVES AND SHE DIES!" Lucius barked. Remus stood absolutely still. "NO DIRTY TRICKS…remember…you may summon your wand, but I can have her dead before you can say Unforgivable Curse!"

Remus didn't step back, but nor did he step forward. Andromeda cried, "Remus! Get Narcissa out of here!"

But Remus didn't know what to do. Could Ted's Patronus have arrived at the castle so soon? It was their only hope.

"Yaxley…it seems we are in a bit of a stalemate," Lucius observed. "I still am a little hesitant about spilling such a rare gem's blood…and yet our little Gryffindor mutt won't back down…"

Yaxley rolled up his sleeve and turned out his arm, pointing to a tattoo on his arm similar to the one on his robes. "Shall we call the Dark Lord?"

Lucius shook his head. "Not yet," he ordered. He grinned evilly at Remus. "So, our brave little buddy won't step off, will he? Some Gryffindor you are. House of the brave at heart, what balderdash! More like home of the blood-traitors, wimps, and WEREWOLVES!"

Cissy gasped and looked at Remus. Her face showed a look of horror.

"Well, if you don't bow before me in defeat in ten seconds, she dies!" Lucius said. Andromeda felt her heart pang against her chest.

"Ten…nine…eight…"

"Don't bow! He'll kill you—" Andromeda said before being cut off by yet another Silencing Charm.

Remus truly was stuck. It was either his life or Andromeda's. Lucius was right. Some brave Gryffindor Remus was, not willing to surrender his life for his friend's…

_"STUPEFY!"_ yelled a voice coming from the shadows. Yaxley was blown off his feet, unconscious yet again. Lucius took one look at Ted emerging from the shows and looked at Andromeda.

_"__Avada__Ke__—"_

_"STUPEFY!" _Ted yelled again. Andromeda ducked just in time for Lucius to get hit by the strongest Stunning Spell anyone left conscious in the room had ever seen.


	28. Defining a True Witch

Cissy let out a terrified scream as Lucius again fell to the floor, unconscious. She ran to his side and again began brooding over her 'love.' Ted looked at Remus, who looked at Andromeda, who completed the circle by looking at Ted.

"Nice job," she said blankly at Ted. "You'll have no trouble with your O.W.L. s next month…"

"This is our chance, grab Narcissa!" Remus commanded. Andromeda snapped herself out of her trance and ran to her sister's side. Lucky for Andromeda, Cissy was still short and scrawny for a girl her age, so Cissy, as much of a fight as she put up, was easily overpowered by her sister. Andromeda grabbed her around the waist and followed Ted and Remus downstairs. Remus quick locked the doors of the pub. Once out in the open air again (still pitch black on all horizons), the three began running furiously up the hill towards the sanctuary of the school. Cissy was still crying out for Lucius. Halfway up the hill, Andromeda couldn't take it anymore, and she set Cissy down and stared her in the eye.

"NARCISSA! Stop this foolishness!"

"No, YOU stop!" Cissy yelled back. "Leave me alone!"

Andromeda slapped Cissy across the cheek, which made Ted and Remus step back. Cissy growled.

"All my life, I've had two older sisters telling me how to do everything! I'm old enough to make my own choices now!"

"But something in my gut tells me that whoever this 'Dark Lord' is—"

"—Tom Marvolo Riddle," Cissy corrected. Andromeda ignored her.

"Whoever he is, he is not a nice man, Cissy. You need to stay away from Lucius Malfoy!" Andromeda advised. Cissy looked ready to lunge at Andromeda, but Remus gripped her shoulder. Cissy shoved him aside with a surprising amount of force.

"Stay away from me, you werewolf!" she yelled. Remus had to have Ted help him to his feet again. His face looked genuinely hurt. "Andromeda, I love Lucius Malfoy. And I think he's gonna love me too if I can stay with him!"

"You're barely thirteen!" Andromeda said. "You have no idea what love is! I'm almost SIXTEEN and I'm still not sure—" she looked quickly at Remus, who shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

"I'm not listening to you anymore," Cissy said defiantly, turning on her heel and running back down the hill towards the pub. Andromeda almost started running after her, but Ted held her back.

"Let her go, Andromeda," Ted said. "Once the Aurors and teachers get there, she will be returned to school. I see a few of them now…"

Ted pointed with his free hand to the sky. Four or five Aurors were flying towards the pub, their wands lit. Andromeda looked with mild interest. One of them looked like he had a serious eye infection…or SOMETHING. Watching them appear and head towards the pub, then seeing Cissy try to beat them to Hogsmeade made Andromeda fight Ted with one last lunge. But it did nothing.

Andromeda stopped fighting Ted, and instead flipped around to hug him. Ted, moderately surprised, returned the hug, for it was all he could do. Andromeda openly cried into his shoulder. Remus hugged Andromeda from the other side.

"Let's all get to bed. Tomorrow's a normal class day," he advised. Andromeda and Ted agreed and turned in. Andromeda tried to look back, but Cissy was already out of sight. Androemda looked over shoulder at Ted and Remus, ascending the hill. Wait...what happneed to Bella? Andromeda felt like she'd just swallowed a rock. Bella had abandoned her sisters long ago, and she never really gave a damn about either of them.

Now Andromeda almost wished Lucius had killed her after all.

* * *

Cissy was, indeed, caught by the Aurors a little later that night and given detention by Dumbledore until exams were finished. She refused to speak to both Bella and Andromeda. And with Bella not talking to Andromeda, the three sisters were in one huge cold-shoulder argument. Andromeda took advantage of the time to study for her O.W.L.s. The night after those tests were finished was the night of the final feast of the year and the House Cup Championship ceremony. Andromeda didn't bother going. After eating the small amount she could eat, she went down to sit by the Black Lake. She just needed to be alone.

The year had been such a draining one. Next year proved to be no easier. Next year Andromeda would go for her Apparating tests, begin her N.E.W.T. classes, and possibly prepare for a wedding between Bellatrix and Rodolphus (as much as she hated the scummy man). So perhaps, for now, this was the only peace she would have for a long time.

"Andromeda?" asked a small voice from behind her. She turned around to see Ted, smiling and holding a plate with a slice of chocolate cake on it. "You missed the House Cup. Slytherin narrowly won over Ravenclaw by thirteen points. They asked the prefects to give a speech, but you weren't there. It was so funny trying to watch that Snape boy give a speech with Sirius, James, and Remus throwing food at him every few—are you okay?"

Andromeda nodded her head. Ted held out the plate. "I brought you some dessert," he said. "No one should miss out on the cake!"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Andromeda said. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" Ted asked, pulling up a rock beside Andromeda and using it as a bench.

"About how everything changed this year. I…I don't want to go home. I don't want to stay here…I just don't want to!" Andromeda buried her face in her hands.

"I don't blame you. If I were you, I'd want to crawl into the woods and wander around like a gypsy for the rest of my life, free of care! But you can't…"

"…why can't I?" asked Andromeda. "I know enough spells to live off the land my life!"

Ted thought a moment. As he though, he picked up a flat stone and chucked it into the water. It skipped twice, and then sank beneath the surface. "You wouldn't be a true witch, then."

"A true witch? Says who?"

"True wizards and witches don't use magic to solve their problems. They use their intuitive, their bravery, their hope, and their smarts," Ted said. "Running away from a problem or zapping it away isn't going to solve it overall. A true witch uses the magic in herself before the magic in her wand."

Andromeda nearly laughed. "You sound like a child's storybook writer!"

"I do, don't I?" Ted said, chuckling. Andromeda smiled. Ted smiled back. "You're smile is very nice."

"So is yours," Andromeda said back. Ted shook his head.

"No, my teeth are only straight because I had braces put on!"

"Braces?" asked Andromeda.

"Metal wires a Muggle dentist sticks on your teeth to make them straight," Ted explained. "I needed them for three years."

Andromeda laughed again. "Why walk around with metal teeth for three years when you can just zap them—oh…" Andromeda remembered what ted had said not 30 seconds ago about zapping away your problems. "I get it…don't zap your troubles away…"

"…nawh, actually, in that case, zapping my teeth straight would've been a much preferred route," Ted said, sighing to himself.

"So, tomorrow we head home," Andromeda said.

"Yes, we do."

"Where do you live?" Andromeda inquired. Ted shrugged.

"Oh, about 20 kilometers north of Southampton," he said. "Pretty little suburban town. I'm the only wizard in the town, it's quite funny, actually. Muggles stare all the time when I hang my arm out the window with my little owl Anya, a letter tied to her feet. Muggles think I'm daft, really," Ted said. Andromeda grinned. Ted looked at her for another moment in silence.

"Would you like to be alone?" Ted asked. Andromeda nodded.

"I'd like that very much, actually," she said. Ted blushed and got up.

"Sorry to disrupt your private moment," he said, embarrassed to seem so forward.

"Oh no, actually, thank you," Andromeda said. "You're a very decent young man."

Ted grinned again and started back towards the school. Andromeda looked after Ted for a moment and looked down beside her. The chocolate cake was still sitting there. There was no fork, but suddenly Andromeda felt a pang in her empty stomach and took up the cake, eating away at it piece by piece with two of her fingers.

Even in times such as this, a cure could always be found in chocolate.


	29. If Things Go Wrong Tomorrow

_Don't think this is the last chapter…an epilogue is on its way! _

* * *

Making sure she left nothing behind, Andromeda quickly scanned the room for any last stray items belonging to her. She found a hairbrush peeking out from under her bed. She quickly scooped that up and tossed it into her purse (he suitcase was already sealed up and packed full). After that, the entire room was bare. She was the only living thing left in the room. Everyone else was down at breakfast, but Andromeda couldn't even dream of eating, especially after what was sure to await her upon returning to her home.

First off, her broken engagement to Lucius Malfoy was sure to set Druella off on at LEAST a month's worth of rants and raves. Andromeda was sure to look forward to THAT.

Secondly, despite Bella's graduation, she wasn't planning to move out anytime soon. So, as if living at home wasn't a scary enough thought, having to do so while living in constant fear and paranoia of catching Rodolphus and Bella snogging…or worse (after all, Bella didn't have to worry about babies now or ever again, she and Rodolphus could go at it like rabbits in heat and not have to give a damn later) just struck fear deep into Andromeda's soul. Maybe her boggart (which used to be banshees) would change to a naked Bella and Rodolphus entwined in each other about to climax…Andromeda quickly put the thought out of her head…and internally prayed that she would never come upon a boggart again.

Thirdly, Cissy. Andromeda knew that without Cissy, she would be truly alone this summer to endure her mother's inevitable daily tirades and Bella's taunting. Not to mention, Lucius Malfoy would probably be coming around a few times during the summer…that wasn't going to make tensions any better between them because Cissy was so smitten with the bastard.

Andromeda began climbing the stairs to the common room and quickly left Slytherin House without bothering to look back. She made her way up to the main entrance and out into the front courtyard for the carriage that would lead the students to the train platform. Andromeda looked up at the grand old school, sighing woefully. If only she could stay throughout the summer, offering to wash dishes with the House Elves or scrub the windows in the clock tower to earn room and board. But she knew that wouldn't be possible. Ted was right. A true witch didn't look for the easy way out. Andromeda knew she would have to learn to suck it up and move on.

"Are you okay?" asked a small, soft voice. Andromeda whipped her head around to see Lily Evans walking towards her with a pretty smile on her face.

"I think I will be eventually….just not now."

Lily knitted her eyebrows together. "Huh?"

"Ask Sirius, summertime in the Black family isn't exactly about vacations and junk food," said Andromeda. "Let's just say…because I'm not Lucius Malfoy's perfect little pureblood wife, my mother's going to redefine the word 'tirade.'"

Lily nodded. "My sister's very similar. She's a Muggle and only a few years older than me, but she can talk for hours about the dullest of subjects!"

Andromeda smiled vaguely. That wasn't EXACTLY what she meant, but it was close enough, and Andromeda didn't want to have to retell the story again. She'd already done so for Gaia and Vienne, Sirius, and her diary. Three times was more than plenty.

"Well, it will make the next term seem that much more wonderful, wouldn't it? I suspect you're NOT going to continue being a prefect?"

Andromeda shook her head. "I talked to Dumbledore this morning. I'm giving Vienne the job next term."

Lily smiled. "Then I guess the REAL holiday will begin when you return in September!"

"I guess so," Andromeda nodded.

"Until then," said Lily, digging into her pocket, pulling out a parchment and handing it to Andromeda. "This will keep us in touch."

"What is it?" asked Andromeda.

"It's like a Muggle telephone, only on parchment. I have the other piece it came with. You write a message, it appears on mine, and I write back, and I appears on yours! When you run out of room, the ink fades and we can start over. It's gotten me through MANY endless summer days. My old dorm mate Demeter used to have the other piece until she transferred to a Muggle school in America."

"T…thank you!" Andromeda sputtered. "I really didn't get the chance to know you though…we're hardly friends…"

Lily winked. "Well, I might not be the only one who writes you a message…for Remus Lupin sometimes comes to visit my house in the summer…"

Andromeda nodded. "What can I say?"

"Don't say anything. Just write whenever you're bored. It'll make a small ringing noise when it's written on, so I'll be nearby whenever you write."

Andromeda smiled. Before Lily could say anything, a blonde-haired girl pulled her away to chat. Andromeda looked at the parchment and folded it carefully, sticking it into her pocket. That would certainly be a handy device during the cruel, cruel summer.

Andromeda boarded a carriage with two other girls, no older than 13, both wearing Ravenclaw-colored ties. She nearly fell asleep during the ride past Hogsmeade to the train station.

Andromeda gave her luggage to a House Elf who went to stow it away in the baggage car. She stood on the platform looking up at the train that would unwillingly drag her back to hell.

Looking a few people away, she saw Bellatrix and Rodolphus, snogging, as was usual for them now. Andromeda was willing to bet that Rodolphus didn't even know Bella's middle name. Cissy stood behind Bella, looking at a few slips of paper that looked like they had poetry written on them. Andromeda sighed. She knew that her ties with Bella were pretty much completely severed, but she still secretly hoped that there was hope that she would reconcile with Cissy. Maybe the summer would give her a chance to do just that.

"Andromeda!" called two voices almost in unison. Andromeda turned her head. Ted and Sirius were coming up behind her, waving. Andromeda painted a fake smile on her face and waved back.

Sirius shook his head. "That's not the smile I'm used to seeing!"

"GET used to it," Andromeda moaned. "At least you have a place to stay where people LIKE you!"

Sirius pouted and put his arm around his cousin. "Awww…Andromeda. If you need to get away from the evil Black matriarchs, James told me to tell you that his door is always open for one more!"

Andromeda nodded. "Thanks."

"And I'm not joking either," said Sirius. "If things go wrong tomorrow, I don't want you to think that you have to endure anything in that miserable place. I bet my mum and your mum are going to make you wish you never rejected Lucius Malfoy."

"If anyone knows that, it's us," Andromeda nodded. "Thank you, and I won't forget the offer, Sirius. If it weren't for you, Merlin, I don't know where the hell I'd be!"

Sirius embraced Andromeda in a tight hug that nearly lifted Andromeda off her feet. "Now, I have to go find Peter…the little rat stole my favorite necktie…" Sirius said before wandering off. Ted stayed behind. Andromeda looked at her feet before speaking to him.

"Ted, listen, I never really formally got to thank you for saving my life the other night."

"Psh!" Ted said, blushing. "It was nothing, honestly."

"But you were amazing that night! Between that Stunning Spell and that Patronus you sent to the castle…Ted, you really came out of your shell!"

"I was always such a meek little mouse before this year," Ted remarked. "I wonder what happened?"

"I really couldn't say…"

But before Andromeda could finish what she said, Ted took a step in and softly pressed his lips against Andromeda's. The kiss was awkward, a little uncomfortable. Not to mention totally unexpected. It was nothing like Remus Lupin kissing her. Remus' kisses were warm and graceful. The whole world melted away when Remus kissed Andromeda. This, however, seemed like it could have been Ted's first kiss with a girl his own age.

But it wasn't bad.

Ted let go before Andromeda had a chance to return it (which she, for some odd reason, wanted to). "Maybe that was it…" Ted muttered, before spinning on his heel and disappearing back into the crowd. Andromeda wanted to follow him, but he was gone in the blink of an eye.

Andromeda then got to the end of the line of passengers waiting to board the train. She was one of the last people to board. And although she did have to take a few minutes to find it, she found a completely empty compartment. Looking around, Andromeda saw no one else in sight still looking for a seat. Grinning, Andromeda slid into the empty compartment and shut and locked the door just as the train began moving. Taking a seat by the window, Andromeda leaned her forehead against the glass and closed her eyes, taking in the gentle vibrations against her eyebrows the train made as it gained speed and rode off into the countryside.

Andromeda, for the first time in a long while, smiled to herself. Even if only for a few hours, she had found the satisfying solitude she had been longing for at last.


	30. Andromeda's Epilogue

_Glad you enjoyed this story! I pulled a JK Rowling here, folks: I did the __'Andromeda's Epilogue' __WAAAY before I finished the story! Review me one last time, and see you next story! BTW, this chappie contains DH spoilers...FYI..._

* * *

**June 9****th****, 2000**

I really don't want to update my story. Mostly because I'm the only one left in it, really. But so much has happened in the 33 years since my fifth year at Hogwarts, so much good and so much evil, I almost feel that it is my obligation to do so. After all, I am among the last of my generation to remain alive, and one of my generation's few survivors of the War Eras and the In-Between Time. And yet, I scarcely know where to start. I write this down on parchment and plan to burn it in the fireplace, only because it will help me recover some of my lost memories. This parchment will not last long, so take a good look right now.

The summer after my fifth year, surprisingly, wasn't as hard as I imagined. Bellatrix spent her whole summer with Rodolphus, and rumors were Lucius Malfoy was dating around with girls his own age, so Cissy, although still bitter towards me most of the time, saw me as her only company. While our relationship, I knew, would never be the same again, for that one summer before my sixth year, Cissy and I tried to bask in each other's company, for we were all we had at our Black home. I did visit Sirius at James Potter's house once towards the end of the summer, and Cissy even came along. Sirius managed to convince Cissy that I was a more trustworthy person than Bellatrix or even our own mother. Cissy then formally forgave me, but, as I said, our relationship was never quite the same as it was before.

Not so long after I graduated from Hogwarts, our secret about Tom Marvolo Riddle and the Death Eaters was no longer a secret, for they, indeed, rose to power, as Cissy had predicted from the 'poems' she'd found on the floor around the castle and Hogsmeade. He was a bigoted man, much like my sister Bellatrix. And, it was no surprise to either Cissy or I, that she was among the first to join Riddle's Death Eaters.

Cissy and I held our ground, at least for a little while, anyways. During the summer after I graduated, Cissy came to stay with me instead of at home, because Bella had gone from bullying older sister to absolute bitch. But after Cissy graduated, she began a relationship with Lucius Malfoy and eventually married and had a son with him. Lucius was, like Bellatrix, a Death Eater, and therefore, Cissy quickly found herself on the other side of the line. At first, she was extremely skeptical about joining the Death Eaters, but gradually, as Lucius got their son Draco involved, whom Cissy loved even more than her husband, she found herself getting in deeper than she'd ever wanted, and she eventually became a watered-down version of Bellatrix, at least temporarily, but I'll get to that later.

As for Bella, well, Rodolphus Lestrange married her (the poor man). They never had any children due to the abortion spell Snape had cast on Bella, although Rodolphus never seemed to mind being childless, and I wouldn't have blamed him for that. WHile I never really came into contact with Bellatrix and Rodolphus myself, I was under the impression that as soon as they married, Bellatrix began losing interest in Rodolphus, as she always did with men. But this time, she was stuck. The two of them became two of Riddle's top Death Eaters. Mother was so proud of Bella, marrying a pureblood AND joining a group bent on purifying the wizarding world of Muggle-borns. It was disgusting. On her death bed, our mum left everything to Bella. Cissy wasn't given anything because she was the youngest and had already married rich. She didn't include me because, well, I was disowned, just like Sirius.

Sirius's story after our school days was possibly the most tragic other than mine. He ended up being betrayed by Peter Pettigrew, and when his friends James Potter and Lily Potter were killed by Riddle in an attempt to get to their son, Harry Potter, Sirius was ultimately blamed for it all and sent to Azkaban, where he spent 12 of the last 14 years of his life. Bella was the one who killed him, pushing him beyond the veil of the dead in the Ministry. Harry Potter told me later that he'd tried to torture Bella afterwards, but he couldn't pull off the will to curse her. Having my cousin die so young was like a knife in my heart. It was truly terrible to hear about, and I cried for a long time.

After Cissy married Lucius Malfoy, that left only me to fight for the good side, so I, along with Sirius, Remus, James Potter and Lily Evans, joined the Order of the Phoenix. As for my love story beyond Hogwarts: you probably already guess that Ted Tonks and I, awkward as our relationship seemed at the time, ended up in our marriage. Very soon after that, I had a daughter who's hair and face could change at her will. I named her Nymphadora. She always hated her name, but I thought it was the most beautiful name in existence, and so did Ted. Because I married Muggle-born Ted, my face was blasted off the Black Family Tree like Sirius', and Nymphadora was automatically considered a blood traitor and disinherited.

Ted and I were so proud of our daughter. So full of life and so strong. She had her heart set from an early age on becoming an Auror, and so she did. Ted and I were also extremely relieved that Nymphadora 'inherited' Ted's house over mine. She also joined the Order (I had retired from it after the First War) after she finished her years at school. She was truly the best child a woman could ask for. She had Bella's fiery spirit, Cissy's charm, and my sense (evidently). By the time she grew up, Riddle, after a crushing defeat the first time, had risen again, in force. Nymphadora was quickly swept up in the Order's battles and matters, and Ted and I rarely saw her anymore.

I recall one night, about three years ago, Remus Lupin came to me while I was alone in my house. Albus Dumbledore had died not a fortnight ago, and the whole wizarding world (the good part of it, anyways) was still in mourning for his loss. I remember seeing Remus' worn, torn, sad face, and wanting to cry. My ex-lover looked so conflicted and so abused. Remus had come to me just for a chat, for old-time's sake. And we did talk about what went wrong in our relationship, and that Remus' only real reason for breaking off our affair was because he was a werewolf, and he didn't want to harm me. I agreed with him, but insisted that he still needed a woman in his life. I can recall the next few lines of our conversation perfectly:

"That matter is another reason why I came here, 'Dromeda," Remus asked when I mentioned our relationship back in school.

"Oh? You've fallen in love?" I asked. I couldn't have been happier if he was.

"Yes, I suppose…" he said, sounding rather skeptical about his new affair.

"Who?" I asked. "Hestia Jones?"

Remus shook his head. "She fell for me first, and I guess I kind of fell too, when I thought about her…"

"Don't call it 'falling,' Remus! Tell me her name!" I said, excitedly.

Remus gave me an odd look, and I waited for an answer.

"Your daughter, Dora."

I can't recall anymore of the conversation. It came as a bit of a nasty shock. After all, I'd made love to this man myself many years ago, and now he was in a relationship with my daughter? The awkwardness of the situation was almost too much to handle. The man who had my virginity (and I had his) was in love with my DAUGHTER? It was preposterous! I wasn't even sure if it was legal! Remus saw my awkward feeling and put his hand on my knee, apologizing for creating the awkward scenario, for it must have been rather strange to him too. To love the daughter of his first lover.

"You know, she initated this," Remus said. "I tried to keep my head above water for most of it. She fell for me first."

"No such thing and someone falling first," was my reply. "No matter what falls first, everything hits the earth at the same time."

But after the initial shock wore over, Ted and I saw the silver lining (that our friend and daughter were happy together) and gave the couple our blessing, and we saw them marry. Very soon after, as if it happened on their wedding night, Nymphadora and Remus presented me with a grandson, Ted Remus Lupin. He took after his mother and inherited her shape-shifting powers. But, the time at which Teddy Lupin was born was not exactly a happy time for me. Only a small while before, my Teddy was killed by Death Eaters. My husband, being gone from my life forever, and me being a widow way before I felt was my time, had stabbed me like a knife in the back. But Teddy's birth (I was present for it, to aid Nymphadora), seemed to dilute my sadness. Again, it would only be temporary.

The Battle of Hogwarts soon took Remus away from Nymphadora. He went to the front lines to help fight off the Death Eaters. I knew Bella would be fighting on her side, and Cissy would eb there with her family, fighting on Bella's side. Having such a torn heart, I stayed home with Nymphadora and Teddy. My daughter seemed distressed that Remus wasn't home and could potentially be never coming home. I remember closing the door to her room and Teddy's room after bidding them both good night, smiling and telling her to have faith. When I came upstairs later, Nymphadora was gone, Teddy writhing in his crib, crying for his lost mother. A small note scribbled on toilet paper was lying by the window. In Nymphadora's chicken-scratch handwriting, it read:

_Mum,_

_Take care of Teddy until I can bring Remus home safely. Just remember: blue hair means feeding time, green hair means nap time, and brown hair...well, you can guess!_

_Signed with love, Your Dora_

The note instructed me to take care of Teddy until she could bring Remus home safely. I still take care of him because she has yet to do so.

As if Ted's death wasn't tragic enough, the deaths of my daughter and son-in-law/ex-lover (that's such a complicated title!) were more than I could bear. I went to the castle as soon as the Order declared victory. I took Teddy with me, a bundle in my arms. My grandson, and now my ward. Having to claim the bodies was, without a doubt, the worst task I ever had to undertake. They were so peaceful, as if they'd fallen asleep before an operation and forgot to wake up. I remember having to pass Teddy to Molly Weasley because I was too hysterical from crying. My daughter, my son-in-law, my husband, all of them were gone.

I had to leave the festivities very soon after. As I sat crying, someone sat down beside me and embraced me. I looked into the face of my little sister, Cissy, who was near tears herself.

"Bella was killed," said Cissy.

"Good," I hissed back. "She deserved it. Thus ends the house of Black!"

"No," said Cissy. "No, the house of Black isn't dead. It's still in Draco…"

I looked at Cissy. "Why aren't you and Lucius and your precious boy gone?!" I asked hysterically.

"Lucius and I wanted to keep Draco safe, that was all. None of us killed anyone," she promised. "I heard about your family. I'm really sorry. After nearly losing Draco many times, I know how it feels, your child in danger and possibly dead."

"This isn't you, Narcissa," I said. "Sympathizing with me, associating with me!"

"Lucius, Draco, and I are leaving tonight. We're going to Denmark," Cissy announced. I looked at her. "We're going to be under very high tensions with the Ministry, and potential Azkaban prisoners, all three of us, unless we don't flee. I just wanted to let you know," said Cissy, getting up and leaving quickly., before I could say anything.

As I watched Cissy walk into her husband's arms and leave me, I couldn't help but see the little 12-year-old girl inside her come out. It was the last time we spoke. The Ministry eventually pardoned the Malfoys after Cissy's show of kindness towards Harry Potter (the story is too complicated, even for me to tell), but they left anyhow. Draco has come home in the year since, but Narcissa and Lucius both decided to stay behind in Denmark and let Draco make his own way for once. I heard from an aquaintence in Denmark that Narcissa had died last winter during an outbreak of some disease. Cissy was always so delicate, it didn't really surprise me. Lucius even invited me to the funeral, but I didn't go.

The last I heard from my ex-fiance, he was still in Denmark. A widower, he hasn't even bothered to go out and try to find another wife.

So now, as I sit here in my garden, watching my grandson play in the yard among the late-spring butterflies and flowers, his hair a bright happy blue, I think to myself…why did it all happen the way it did? Why did Remus, Nymphadora, Ted, Sirius, the Potters, Bella, and so many others die? Why didn't the good times last forever? Why didn't Remus and I make it as a couple? Why did Ted suddenly become a bold, brave warrior when he met me when he was such a little mouse before? Why did I fall in love with Ted after Remus broke up with me? Why did we have a daughter? Why did Bella and Cissy turn to the Death Eaters? My life has been filled with so many hard questions, and I doubt none of them will be answered until I myself fall through the veil one day. My brown hair is beginning to grey in the front, and my skin is wrinkling slightly. It might be soon, and it might not be soon.

Thus ends the story of the House of Black, it's epilogue written by its sole survivor.

_Signed, Andromeda Aries Black-Tonks_


End file.
